Doa’a Ahmed Saleh
Cairo University, Egypt
Title: Title: Nurses’ willingness to work during an influenza pandemic in Egypt
Biography
Biography: Doa’a Ahmed Saleh
Abstract
Egypt was affected by the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic, which was the last influenza pandemic in the 20th century. It is not possible to predict neither the timing nor the impact of future influenza pandemics. Thus, it is recommended that influenza pandemic plans be prepared and updated regularly. Plans should consider the health care workers’ preparedness to face such infectious pandemics. The aim of this study was to assess the nurses’ willingness to work and the concerns and persuading factors towards working during infectious influenza pandemics. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 266 nurses; 89 (33.5%) professional nurses working in a tertiary hospital and 43 (16.2%) working in a primary care facility, 105 (50.4%) undergraduate nursing students from the Faculty of Nursing and 29 (10.9%) students from the Secondary Technical Nursing School. None of the studied nurses provided nursing care to H1N1 patients during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic but if forced to do so, 41.5% would not be willing to report to duty. Fear about their families’ health and increased workload were the main concerns of professional and student nurses (p>0.05). Increased rates of infection (OR=3.33) and deaths (OR=2.75) among colleagues and school closure (OR=7.08) were significant concerns for the student compared to professional nurses (p<0.05). Receiving treatment for one self and for family came on top of the persuading factors for all nurses. While vaccination for oneself (OR=2.3) and family (OR=2.0) came on top of the persuading factors for the nursing students (p<0.05). The study concluded that providing nurses with appropriate education, training, supply of adequate protection and psychosocial support should be considered on preparing plans for influenza pandemics.