Research and development of nurse's knowledge, attitude and self-efficiency on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards

Nurses face many dangers during their work in the hospital, which is among the critical issues that should be emphasized. Because nurses are constantly exposed to radioactive materials during working hours, they are at risk of being exposed to some chemicals. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and hazards are a type of disaster that can occur in health institutions both outside and inside the hospital. This thesis aimed to measure nurses' basic knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy about CBRN and to determine the change in this knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy after appropriate training. The research population comprises 1370 nurses working in Adıyaman province and its districts. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded, and the "Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Hazards Knowledge, Attitude and Self-Efficacy Scale for Nurses" was applied. A significant difference was found between the scores of all participants from the CBRN knowledge test, attitude, and self-efficacy scale before and after the training. Based on our findings, it is seen that the need for training of our health personnel continues, regardless of whether they have received previous training against CBRN incidents. CBRN is a significant health problem, and we must keep the health personnel ready with up-to-date information against these important events by constantly supporting them in core and post-graduate training.