Factors influencing risk perception and nosocomial infection prevention practices of frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, exploring factors influencing nosocomial infection among frontline nurses may provide evidence to optimize prevention strategies in hospitals. METHOD: A large-scale online questionnaire survey of nurses’ state-trait anxiety, job burnout, risk perception, workplace safety perception, knowledge about nosocomial infection, and preventive practices was conducted with 2795 frontline nurses working in the COVID-19 wards of six hospitals in Hubei Province, China, from February 1 to April 1, 2020. The questionnaire data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method to reveal the mechanisms influencing nurses’ risk perception and preventive practices related to nosocomial COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: A model of the factors that influence nurses’ risk perception and preventive practices regarding nosocomial COVID-19 infection was established. The model verified hypotheses regarding the impact of nurses’ risk perception and preventive practices. Notably, the hypothesis that risk perception has an impact on nurses’ preventive practices regarding nosocomial infection is not valid. Moreover, different marital and educational conditions are associated with significant differences in the impact of state anxiety on the execution of preventive practices, the impact of workplace safety perceptions on risk perception, and the impact of workplace safety perceptions on the execution of preventive practices. The effect of state anxiety on preventive practices differed significantly with different durations of work experience. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the influencing factor model, promoting the quality of training on nosocomial infection, meliorating workplace safety, and conducting timely and effective psychological interventions would aid in improving nurses’ preventive practices. Meliorating workplace safety and easing state anxiety would be beneficial to reduce nurses’ risk perception. These strategies are conducive to the optimization of policies for preventing nosocomial COVID-19 infections and similar infectious diseases.