1Department of Infection Control, Chonbuk National University Hospital 2College of Nursing, Chonbuk National University 3College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Pusan
Abstract
Purpose: In this study influenza A (H1N1) infection control performance and stress in nurses were surveyed, to identify factors influencing stress for the nurses, and to provide basic materials for promoting infectious disease control by nurses. Method: The participants were 447 nurses who had worked at isolation clinics and/or isolation rooms in hub hospitals in the Honam region during the period of the outbreak of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus. Data were collected in February 2010 using self-report questionnaires. Results: The performance of participants from clinics was high for 'helping patients wearing masks', but low for 'maintaining distance over 1 meter among waiting patients'. The performance of participants from hospital rooms was high for 'putting a surgical mask on a patient going out of the room', but low for 'keeping patients' family out of the room'. The participants' stress was higher in those younger and less experienced nurses, those working at a hospital with 500-999 beds, those working at both isolation clinics and rooms, and those working at a clinic longer. Conclusion: In order to lower nurses' stress from working at isolation clinics/rooms for infectious diseases, we may need to deploy experienced nurses and limit their working days to five or less.