Guardians of Safety: Indonesian Nurses and COVID-19 PPE Practices.

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, the world has undergone drastic changes. The Delta variant has high transmissibility and evades human cellular defenses. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded over 31.654 million cases and 4 million COVID-19 deaths as of December 2022. Hospitals have faced challenges in patient management and healthcare worker protection. This study discusses the relationship between nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the use of personal protective equipment in Indonesian COVID-19 referral hospitals. This study utilized a quantitative analytical observational method with a cross-sectional approach. The research was conducted in four COVID-19 referral hospitals in the Yogyakarta Special Region in Indonesia. This study shows that there is no significant relationship between attitudes and behaviors in the use of PPE; however, a positive correlation exists. Most nurses in COVID-19 isolation wards demonstrate good knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward the use of PPE. There is a positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes, as well as nurses' behaviors in using PPE. • Enhancing PPE Compliance: This study suggests that improving knowledge and attitudes among healthcare workers can enhance compliance with proper PPE usage. • Future Research Directions: Future research could explore additional factors influencing PPE compliance and identify specific interventions to promote safe practices during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. • Room for Improvement: Despite generally positive findings, some nurses still exhibit inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward PPE usage, indicating the need for ongoing education and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]