Stress, COVID-19 related knowledge, attitude, and infection control performance of nurses at long-term care hospitals.

This study aimed to identify the stress level, knowledge, attitude, and infection control performance of nurses at long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) designated for infectious disease management and to investigate factors contributing to infection control performance. A total of 178 nurses who had worked for at least 1 month at seven LTCHs designated for infectious disease management and provided care for patients confirmed with COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from February to March 2022 using written and online self-report questionnaires. COVID-19 infection control performance was higher among married than among single participants (t = -3.71, p < 0.001), among those aged 40-49 versus 30-39 years (F = 4.10, p = 0.003), and those with 1-2, 3-4, or ≥5 sessions versus no prior education (F = 6.41, p < 0.001). COVID-19 infection control performance was negatively correlated with stress (r = 0.26, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with knowledge (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and attitude toward COVID-19 (r = -0.36, p < 0.001). Stress (ß = -0.17, p = 0.012), knowledge of COVID-19 (ß = 0.28, p < 0.001), attitude toward COVID-19 (ß = 0.20, p = 0.004), and marital status (ß = 0.18, p = 0.009) were identified as predictors of COVID-19 infection control performance.

A pilot study investigating the social contact patterns of Korean elderly.

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study describes the characteristics of social contact patterns of the elderly, a group at high-risk for contracting infections. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used. SAMPLE: Participants included 30 volunteers aged 65 years or older. MEASUREMENTS: Records of a contact diary were maintained for a period of 24-hr. RESULTS: Thirty participants recorded 340 contacts within the 24 hr period, with a mean of 11.3 people daily. Physical encounters accounted for 50.9% of contacts. Participants with an occupation had significantly higher contacts than those without (p=.013). Contact type differed by location and duration (p<.001). Contact locations included: home (11.5%), work (2.4%), elderly welfare facilities (32.9%), transport (1.2%), and other places (52.1%). Contact duration (p < .001) and frequency (p < .001) differed by location. Contact duration differed by frequency (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The elderly participate in frequent physical contact that increases their risk of infection, especially among those with an occupation in comparison to those without an occupation. Infection control nursing should focus on providing education to reduce the risk of infections during contact events. Social distancing should be applied to limited periods of infection transmission risk.

Factors affecting frontline Korean nurses' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: To identify the factors affecting fear, anxiety and depressive symptoms among frontline nurses working with COVID-19 patients or are in charge of COVID-19 screening in Korea. BACKGROUND: Nurses are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection because they are in closer, longer-duration contact with patients. These situations can negatively affect the mental health of nurses. METHODS: This study analysed data from COVID-19 module in the Korean Nurses' Health Study. Data from 906 participants were analysed. To identify the factors influencing mental health, descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Caring for patients who are COVID-19-positive increased levels of fear, anxiety and depressive symptoms of nurses. The hospital safety climate influenced mental well-being among nurses. CONCLUSION: Caring for patients with COVID-19 had a negative impact on fear, anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, the higher was the perceived hospital safety climate, the lower were the nurses' psychological symptoms. Further research on the mental health of nurses is warranted. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Institutions should manage human resources to enable periodic rotation of nurses' work and working periods related to COVID-19. In addition, hospital managers should provide sufficient personal protective equipment, related education, and safety climate.