Predictors of knowledge and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols among nurses at health facilities in Tamale Metropolis of Northern Ghana

BACKGROUND: Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in 2019 and caused widespread disruption to many facets of life, including healthcare. Healthcare workers, particularly nurses, became the front-line fighters against the pandemic, making it imperative to comply with recommended safety protocols. However, many nurses were infected by the virus in the Tamale Metropolis, raising concerns regarding their level of adherence to the safety protocols. This study assessed the predictors of knowledge and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols among nurses at selected health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis of northern Ghana. METHODS: A facility based cross-sectional study design was adopted and 339 nurses from six (6) public health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis were recruited for the study using questionnaires. The questionnaires were transformed into Google Forms for respondents to answer online via WhatsApp or email. The data were exported from the Google spreadsheet into SPSS and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Of the 339 participants, 60.2% were classified as having adequate knowledge while only 9.1% demonstrated high adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. Knowledge of COVID-19 was predicted by source of information, and marital status, whereas health facility types predicted level of adherence. The odds of having adequate knowledge were higher among unmarried nurses (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.16-3.25; p = 0.012) and nurses using social media (AOR = 1.80; 95%CI 1.02-3.18; p = 0.042) compared to their counterparts. Meanwhile, primary health care nurses (AOR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.12-0.50; p<0.001) and secondary health care nurses (AOR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.31-0.88; P = 0.016) had reduced odds of exhibiting higher adherence compared to nurses from tertiary-level facility. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that knowledge was high but adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols was low. We suggest that facility managers should enforce compliance of their staff to the safety protocols to prevent spread of the virus within healthcare settings.