Influence of attitude on utilization of personal protective equipment among nurses at Thika level 5 hospital

Abstract

Hospital acquired infections have been recognized as a problem affecting the quality of health care and a principal source of adverse healthcare outcomes globally. Hospital acquired infection occurs due to poor utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among healthcare workers. Attitude is one major factor that affects utilization of PPE among healthcare workers. This study examined attitude toward utilization of PPE among nurses at Thika level 5 hospital, Kiambu County, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design which provided both quantitative and qualitative data. The study population was 246 nurses working in Thika level 5 hospital and with more than 1year experience. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in line with the study hypotheses. Qualitative analysis of data revealed that nurses at Thika level 5 hospital have somewhat negative attitude towards use of PPE. The study concludes that, attitude was found to be the most significant predictor of utilization of PPE. Positive attitudes would enhance utilization of PPE. For hospitals aiming to reduce or avoid healthcare worker acquired infections or nurses acquired infections, the management should invest more to develop ways of enhancing positive attitudes among nurses.