Availability, accessibility, and job satisfaction of nurses with PPEs during the COVID-19 pandemic in a hospital in Iloilo Province

Abstract

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was an infectious disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus. This novel virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was an important component in promoting patient safety and increasing nurse safety in healthcare settings. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, nurses across the health care industry prioritized optimal and proper PPE use. The descriptive correlational study sought to investigate the availability, accessibility, and job satisfaction of nurses wearing personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Iloilo Province hospital. Data were gathered from the 65 nurses who had agreed to take part in this study. The questionnaires given were validated researcher-made questionnaire checklists. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, percentage, and tables) and correlation statistics (Spearman's Rho) were used. The majority of the nurses found that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was usually available and accessible when they needed it. PPE was typically within reach and there was an ample supply when required and it was generally easy for them to obtain when needed. The majority of nurses were very satisfied with the availability and accessibility of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Job satisfaction regarding PPE availability and accessibility was particularly high. Nurses were very satisfied with their use of PPE. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the availability, accessibility, and job satisfaction of nurses about the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in a specific district hospital in Iloilo province. With these findings, the researchers concluded that the availability and accessibility of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) were critical to nurses' job satisfaction.