Healthcare workers' perception and experience toward COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab

ABSTRACT

Background and objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at significant risk of exposure to COVID-19 virus during this pandemic period. As part of healthcare protocol and staff risk assessment in Brunei Darussalam, all emergency department (ED) staff underwent periodical COVID-19 surveillance nasopharyngeal (NP) swabbing. This study was performed to evaluate the experience and comfort level of HCWs toward COVID-19 NP swab. Methodology: All HCWs (n=151) based in the ED, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, Brunei Darussalam, underwent COVID-19 surveillance NP swabbing followed by voluntary basis of completing an anonymous perception questionnaire form. The perception scale used in this study was adopted from numeric pain scale (0-10) with additional input of comfort level description. Data were analyzed using Excel software for demography profile, median perception scale, perception of comfort level, and correlation between the variables. Result: The HCWs (n=138) who completed the form consisted of nurses (52%), doctors (27%), support staffs (14%), and cleaners (7%);56% were male gender;61% were in the 20-to 40-year-old age group, and only 11% were in the >51-year-old age group. For the majority of the participants, this was their first time undergoing an NP swab (86%), and those who had previous swab experience accounted for 14%. The overall median perception scale was 3 (scale 0-10). In all, 26% reported that they were comfortable with the procedure, 29% were mild uncomfortable, 33% moderate uncomfortable, 10% severe uncomfortable, and 2% reported this was their worst ever experience. Some participants reported tearing eyes (n=4), runny nose (n=2), pain (n=3), and mild bleeding (n=1) as side effects. There was no correlation between gender, age, profession, or previous swab experience and the perception scale of NP swab. Conclusion: NP swab test procedure is well tolerated by the majority of HCWs. The perception scale could be affected by type of specimen, type and size of swab kit, and sampling procedure technique. Further comparison study is needed to determine the factors that may contributes to the level of comfort perception.