Nurses attitudes and ethical dilemmas regarding hepatitis B and hepatitis B virus carriers

P. Iordanou, M. Noula

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study was conducted among 696 subjects-nurses in five hospitals to examine their attitudes and ethical dilemmas concerning the provision of nursing care to patients-clients with hepatitis B (HB) and HB virus and to identify any barriers they perceived in safety. More than the half of the nurses, 56.2% (345) stated that had been vaccinated against HB. A fair number, 63.7% (441) nurses stated that it was not a dilemma for them to provide care to patients with HB. As barriers were identified the lack of adequate protecting measures from 57% (143) nurses. Gloves considered important in the protection of nurses, 94.7% (692) nurses stated that they ought to wear gloves during blood drawing or blood and intravenous administration, and 93.5% (651) when a blood transfusion was given. Fear of transmission of HB was stated from 53% (133) of nurses and fear of transmission of HB to nurses' children (through nurses as mothers) from 29.5% (74). Greater number of vaccinated nurses stated that had not dilemmas to care for patients with HB (p=0.048). In order, to control their own risk and provide patient-clients care without dilemmas and fears of transmission, nurses must remain alert and aware of risk factors, of the barriers, of the standards that are being trust upon them being supported by the institutions-hospitals and the public must provide them all basic protective measures.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)37-41
Number of pages5
JournalReview of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics, International Edition
Volume17
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2003

Keywords

  • Barriers
  • Ethical dilemmas
  • Hepatitis B
  • Nurses' attitudes
  • Vaccine

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