Factors Contributing to Acquire Covid-19 among Critically Ill Patients in Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is currently a worldwide pandemic ongoing global health emergency caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Critical health team have an essential role in the prevention of acquired Covid-19 in intensive care unit through applying of hospital specific covid-19 precautions. Aim: This study aimed to assess factors contributing to acquire covid-19 among critical ill patients in intensive care units. Design: A descriptive exploratory design was utilized for the conduction of this study. Setting: the study was carried out in intensive care units of Ain Shams University Hospital (emergency and general medicine ICU). Study sample: A Purposive sample of seventy five patients admitted to the previously mentioned setting. Tools: three tools were used to collect data consisted of patient assessment tool, precautions measures against Covid-19 observational checklist tool, and Covid-19 incidence in ICU tool. Results: revealed that, the majority of the studied patients acquired Covid-19 in ICU, and the application of most precautions measures against Covid-19 were not done or done incorrectly. In addition to, there were a highly statistically significant relation between acquired Covid-19 in ICU, application of precautions measures, past medical history and length of ICU stay. Conclusion: based on the findings of the current study, it can be concluded that: the majority of studied patients acquired Covid-19 in ICU. As well factors contributing to acquire Covid-19 among critically ill patients in ICU were non-compliance of health team to precautions measures against Covid-19, patients present, past medical history and length of stay in ICU. Recommendations: developing instructional guideline for improving medical health team performance regarding application of precautions measures against Covid-19. In addition to, replication of the study on larger sample selected from different areas in Egypt is recommended to obtain more generalizable data.