DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL WELL-BEING AMONG NURSES BY THE USAGE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT DURING PANDEMIC
Abstract
Objectives
During COVID-19 pandemic, nurses who works in hospital are required to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in different level according to their workload. The usage of the PPE has been known to be uncomfortable and may increase stress level among the nurses. Therefore, this study aims to find the differences in mental well-being between the usage of PPE level 1, 2, and 3.
Methods
The mental well-being was assessed using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale with a total of 14 items. Using a hospital-based study approach, 190 nurses in a private hospital in Tangerang Selatan province range of 20-56 years old participated in this study.
Results
Results showed there was no significant difference in mental well-being by the usages of PPE.
Conclusions
One explanation of this result possibly due to several factors, such as lack of PPE guidelines according to service areas, lack of compliance in using PPE, and the low risk perception of the certain COVID-19 variant.
