Nurses' preparedness and response to COVID-19

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease is the most striking pandemic across the world that every country is addressing and talking about it now. Nurses deliver the highest level of functioning in the health care team. Nurses need to understand the COVID-19 preparedness and response process. Therefore, it becomes very important to assess a nurse's knowledge of preparedness and response to Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19). METHODS: The research approach was quantitative in nature by using the descriptive cross-sectional survey among nurses working under MOH Hospitals in Najran region, KSA. The sample participated in the survey was 594 and the tool used for the study was a modified questionnaire on Nurse's preparedness and response to COVID-19. The questionnaire contained five parts and the first part included basic information of the nurses and the second part was composed of yes or no questions assessing the nurse's Knowledge on COVID-19 preparedness and the third part composed of facility and response readiness to triage screening and the fourth part consist of nurses preparedness and readiness on COVID and fifth part composed of nurse's preparedness and readiness on peroneal protective equipment's and the study was approved by Institutional Review Board (IRB). Data was presented by using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Our study results found that overall knowledge of COVID preparedness was adequate. However, the nurse's preparedness on personal protective equipment was moderate. Majority of respondents were Registered Nurses 587(98.9%)and most of the respondents were employed by the Ministry of Health 586(98.7%)and the nurse's knowledge of preparedness was 456(76.8%) and the facilities preparedness and response readiness was 549(92.4) and adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) 519(87. 3%). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study exhibit that nurses have an adequate level of knowledge towards the preparedness and response to coronavirus diseases.