Physical and psychological effects of nurses' using personal protective equipment during the times of COVID 19

Objective: This study was conducted as a descriptive study to determine the physical and psychological effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) use by nurses in intensive care, operating rooms and emergency rooms working in hospitals in Istanbul during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Materials-Methods: The research data consists of 14 questions to determine sociodemographic characteristics prepared by the researchers and 18 questions to determine the psychological and physical effects of PPE use. The sample of the study consists of 200 nurses working in various hospitals in Istanbul between January and May 2021. Results: In the study, 92% of the nurses experienced wounds in the face area and the most commonly in the cheek (35%) due to the use of masks. Approximately 30% of them stayed in PPE for more than 6 hours, the most common emotion they felt was anxiety (50%), only 5% of the nurses. It was determined that the patient was proud of himself, and that the most common physical ailment they experienced was dizziness. It was determined that the nurses had difficulty in drawing blood most frequently (30.5%) with PPE and they wanted to drink water first after taking it out. A statistically significant relationship was found between gender and the time spent in WCE, the emotions felt, the resting period, and the status of contracting COVID-19 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Nurses who frequently use PPE during the pandemic period experience negative physical and psychological effects. Key Words: COVID-19, Nurse, Personal protective equipment, Pandemic, Mask, Gloves, Physical discomfort, Psychological discomfort