Predictors of second COVID‐19 booster dose or new COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy among nurses: A cross‐sectional study.

Aims and objectives: To assess the levels of second COVID‐19 booster dose/new COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy among nurses and explore the potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Background: COVID‐19 full vaccination seems to be highly effective against highly contagious variants of SARS‐CoV‐2. Healthcare workers are at high‐risk group since they have experienced high levels of COVID‐19‐associated morbidity and mortality. Design: An on‐line cross‐sectional study was carried out in Greece in May 2022, using a self‐administered questionnaire. Methods: The study population included nurses in healthcare services who were fully vaccinated against COVID‐19 at the time of study. We considered socio‐demographic characteristics, COVID‐19‐related variables, and attitudes toward COVID‐19 vaccination and pandemic as potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy. We applied the STROBE checklist in our study. Results: Among 795 nurses, 30.9% were hesitant toward a second booster dose or a new COVID‐19 vaccine. Independent predictors of hesitancy included lower educational level, absence of a chronic condition, good/very good self‐perceived physical health, lack of flu vaccination during 2021, front‐line nurses that provided healthcare to COVID‐19 patients, nurses that had not been diagnosed with COVID‐19 and nurses that had at least one relative/friend that has died from COVID‐19. Moreover, increased compliance with hygiene measures, increased fear of a second booster dose/new COVID‐19 vaccine and decreased trust in COVID‐19 vaccination were associated with increased hesitancy. Conclusions: Our study shows that a significant percentage of nurses are hesitant toward a second booster dose/new COVID‐19 vaccine. This initial hesitancy could be a barrier to efforts to control the COVID‐19 pandemic. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses' role during the COVID‐19 pandemic is essential since they are the front‐line healthcare workers empowering the public with their passion and empathy. There is a need to communicate COVID‐19 vaccine science in a way that is accessible to nurses in order to decrease COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]