Australian critical care nurses’ knowledge, preparedness and experiences of managing SARS-COV-2 and COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background COVID-19 has again highlighted the crucial role of healthcare workers in case management, disease surveillance, policy development, and healthcare education and training. The ongoing pandemic demonstrates the importance of having an emergency response plan that accounts for the safety of frontline healthcare workers, including those working in critical care settings. Objectives To explore Australian critical care nurses’ knowledge, preparedness and experiences of managing patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Methods An exploratory cross-sectional study of Australian critical care nurses was conducted between June and September 2020. An anonymous online survey was sent to Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) members to collect information about their knowledge, preparedness and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise and report data. Results A total of 157 critical care nurses participated, with 138 fully complete surveys analysed. Most respondents reported ‘good’ to ‘very good’ level of knowledge about COVID-19, and obtained up-to-date COVID-19 information from international and local sources. To manage patients with COVID-19, 82.3% felt sufficiently prepared at the time of data collection, and 93.4% had received specific education, training or instruction. Most participants were involved in assessing (89.3%) and treating (92.4%) COVID-19 patients. Varying levels of concerns about contracting SARS-CoV-2 were expressed by respondents, and 55.7% thought the pandemic had increased their workload. The most frequent concerns expressed by participants were a lack of appropriate PPE and fear of the PPE shortage. Conclusions While most nurses expressed sufficient preparedness for managing COVID-19 patients, specific education had been undertaken and experiential learning was evident. Fears of insufficient or appropriate PPE made the response more difficult for nurses and the community. Preparedness and responsiveness are critical to successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.