Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Assistant professor, Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University, Egypt
2
Lecturer , Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
3
Lecturer, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
4
Lecturer, Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University. Egypt
Abstract
Background: Healthcare workers are the frontline armies in the fight against the Corona virus
disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and their safety should be an urgent focus in the global
response to the pandemic. The study aims to suggests a forward action plan for adherence to
infection prevention and control to health care workers during care for suspected or confirmed
Covid-19 patients at Hospitals based on gaps, weaknesses, and barriers from health care workers
(HCWs) perspective. Design: A cross-sectional study was used. Tools: A validated electronic self-
assessment tool built-in Google drive and was distributed to HCWs who have been exposed to the
patient(s)with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in at different Cities (Zagazig city, Mansoura city,
and Cairo city) in Egypt. Two tools were used 1) included three sections: personal and job
characteristics of HCWs, the COVID-19 infection rate among HCWs, adherence of HCWs to
infection prevention and control during health care, and 2) the barriers to applying preventive
measures. EQUATOR research checklist (STROBE) were used by the researchers. Results: Around
439 HCWs participated in the study; 225 were males and 214 were females. (63.1%) of the
respondents were nurses. (59.7%) of the respondents were contacted and 13.2% were infected and
COVID-19 test results were positive. Conclusions: Strengths in adherence of HCWs regarding
triage, early recognition, and source control, standard precaution for all patients, empiric additional
precautions, wearing and removing protective equipment and administrative controls play important
role in infection control. However, a number of gaps and weaknesses were revealed in applying
preventive measures to control infection with COVID-19.
Keywords
)
View on SCiNiTO