Provision and use of personal protective equipment among home care and hospice nurses in North Carolina

BackgroundWe investigated the frequency with which home care/hospice nurses are provided with and use personal protective equipment (PPE) and factors associated with use.MethodsWe conducted a mail survey among home care/hospice nurses in North Carolina in 2006.ResultsThe adjusted response rate was 69% (n = 833). Between 68% and 86% of nurses were always provided with the relevant types of PPE; these nurses were 2.5-3 times more likely to use the PPE in scenarios involving a potential for blood exposure compared with nurses who were not always provided with PPE. Nurses who always had sufficient time during home visits were 50% more likely to use PPE. Nurses who visited more homes with adverse working conditions were less likely to use PPE.ConclusionThe public health policy of providing PPE to health care workers and ensuring that they use that equipment to prevent occupational blood exposure is not being fully implemented for home care and hospice nurses. Greater provision of PPE could reduce blood exposure in this population. Conditions of the home care/hospice work environment may be impeding nurses’ ability to use PPE.