Predictors of Hospital Nursing Staff’s Adherence to Safe Injection Guidelines, Applying the Protection Motivation Theory, in Fars Province, Iran

Abstract

Abstract Background: Needle stick injuries (NSI) can lead to dangerous infectious diseases for health care workers. This study aimed to determine the Predictors of observance of safe injection guidelines in hospital nursing staff, based on protection motivation theory. Methods: This cross-sectional study, was conducted on nursing staff of randomly selected five teaching and general hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Fars province, Iran, 2021. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire which was developed based on protection motivation theory. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 22 and Amos 24 at a significance level of <0.05. Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Multiple linear regression and Structural Equation Modeling were used. Results: The average age of 280 participants was 32.5±8.09 years. Most of participants [80%] have encountered NSI, patients’ blood, or body fluids at least once. Protection motivation was the only predictor of protective behaviors (β=0.573), while perceived efficacy (β=0.142) and perceived rewards (β=-0.229) were the strongest predictors of motivation. The structural equation modeling analysis showed that standardized total effects of protection motivation, perceived response costs, rewards and efficacy on the protective behaviors were 0.573, -0.159, -.104, and 0.81 respectively. While standardized total effects of perceived rewards, efficacy and response cost on protection motivation were -0.229, 0.142, and -0.033 accordingly. The model fit indices indicated the acceptable final model fit, Conclusion: The results suggest that the educational interventions for hospital nurses to comply with safe injection guidelines should be focused more on perceived efficacy, perceived effectiveness, and perceived rewards