Out and about: Factors associated with nurses' use of COVID-19 personal protective behaviors when not at work.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To characterize nurses' engagement in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted personal protective behaviors (PPBs) outside the work setting during the COVID-19 pandemic and factors that inform engagement in these behaviors. BACKGROUND: Nurses' health is of vital importance to the functioning of the healthcare system. Little is known as to what informs nurses' use of PPBs outside the work setting. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. SETTINGS A large healthcare system in the southeastern region of the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred fifty eight registered nurses. METHODS: Participants surveyed during the week of September 14th. Survey contained questions regarding factors that may be linked to nurses' compliance with PPBs. RESULTS: The most frequently reported behavior practiced outside work was "cover mouth with cough or sneeze." Concern for COVID-19 infection and confidence in masks to control the spread of COVID-19 were positively related to both frequency and number of protective behaviors engaged in (p < .01), while fatigue was inversely related to engagement with PPBs (p = .01). There was some evidence that viewing self as role model may predict behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Personal factors drive engagement with protective behaviors outside the work setting. Implications for nursing management and education are explored.