Knowledge, Risk Perception and Preventive Behaviors of OR Clinical Instructors and Nursing Students on COVID-19: Implications for Clinical Affiliation Plan

Abstract – The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the healthcare industry, including nursing education. Modified surgical guidelines set by WHO and COVID-19 risk, and prevention are all new to clinical instructors and nursing students. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, risk perception, and preventive behaviors of OR clinical instructors and junior nursing students of selected higher education institutions in Batangas Province. A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted with a sample size of 132 respondents. The results showed that most of the respondents were knowledgeable about the etiology of COVID-19, its cause, and its potential to be fatal if left untreated. However, they needed reinforcement on knowledge about transmission, incubation, and treatment. The most common preventive measure was wearing a mask, but some respondents were still going to crowded places, wearing gloves, and using alternative measures against COVID-19. As future medical frontliners, the respondents need to understand the significance of vaccines, but some participants were at high risk because they did not want to be vaccinated. In addition, they thought that COVID-19 was not very dangerous and had no idea when it could be contained. Both the clinical instructors and nursing students did not know the surgical guidelines in the COVID-19 pandemic upon arrival of the patient in the OR and before anesthesia induction and before the patient leaves OR (sign-out). Female nursing students were more knowledgeable and practiced more preventive measures, such as wearing masks, wearing gloves, and not going out in crowded places. Male nursing students were knowledgeable about previous surgical guidelines before anesthesia induction, before skin incision, and before the patient leaves OR.
The findings of this study have implications for clinical affiliation plans. Nursing schools need to ensure that their students are adequately prepared to provide safe and effective care to patients with COVID-19. This includes providing them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to prevent the spread of infection and to provide care to patients who are infected.

Keywords – COVID-19 Pandemic, Preventive Behaviors, Risk Perception, Surgical Guidelines