Analyzing Nurses Use of Protective Devices and Challenges Faced During Healthcare Delivery in COVID-19 Units in Bamenda Municipality, Cameroon

Abstract

Introduction: Pandemic related crisis has caused enormous negative impacts on health globally and thousands of people suffered from the current COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in the use of protective devices to mitigate the virus has become a challenge both physically and psychologically to nurses and this appears to be the main reason why contamination rate keeps increasing for nurses Purpose: This study was designed to examine nurses’ use of protective devices and challenges faced during healthcare delivery in COVID-19 unit. Methodology: This was a hospital based descriptive survey and recruited nurses using the convenience sampling technique involved in the care of patients in the COVID-19 treatment unit, in Bamenda Municipality. The study was conducted from January 2022 to February 2022. Data was obtained using a self-administered structured questionnaire analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Findings: All the nurses admitted using at least one type of protective devices to reduce the    transmission of COVID-19 during their clinical activities. The findings revealed that personal protective devices including medical masks (96.7%), gloves (78.8%), hand sanitizer (60.5%) and eye protection (48.9%).   Challenges reported by the nurse’s included unavailability of hand sanitizer (64.4%), medical masks (60.0%), glove usability or donning (8.9%), eye protection acceptability (44.4%), gown inappropriateness (27.9%) respirator inadequacy (25.5%) and difficulties in doffing of apron (5.5%). Evidently it was concluded that nurses used protective devices during clinical activities in the COVID-19 centers although they indicated a range of challenges faced in using these devices.   Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study recommends continues compulsory training sessions be organized to enable nurses use personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly and without been limited.