Last update:
   17-Jan-2023
 

Arch Hellen Med, 40(1), January-February 2023, 50-60

ORIGINAL PAPER

Health information literacy and the training needs of nursing staff in a public hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

A. Gkountara,1 P. Theodorou,2 C. Platis2,3
1Anesthesiology Clinic, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis,
2Postgraduate Course – Health Care Management, School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patra,
3Hospital Services Costing and Documentation Center SA, Athens, Greece

OBJECTIVE Investigation of the health information literacy and the educational needs of nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary reference hospital, according to demographic characteristics.

METHOD A cross-sectional study was carried out anonymously with the nursing staff of the hospital, using a questionnaire for information health literacy, the electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and the Participation Reasons Scale (PRS), which includes four incentives (improving professional skills and services to patients, professional commitment, learning and interaction with colleagues, and personal benefits and job security). Data analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS), version 21.0.

RESULTS Of 320 sets of questionnaires that were distributed, 218 were completed (response rate 69%). Statistical analysis of the responses showed that the participants had a moderate level of information health literacy, and that the level was positively related to a higher educational level and fewer years of work. The motivation to improve professional skills and services to patients, and incentives for professional commitment were the most commonly reported reasons for participation in continuing vocational training programs, and participation was associated with a high educational level, a high level of health information literacy, and the female sex. Women and participants with better health information literacy considered motivation for personal benefit and job security important, while participants with better health information literacy considered motivation for learning and interaction with colleagues to be important.

CONCLUSIONS Identification and enhancement of incentives for nurses to participate in continuing vocational training programs and health information literacy programs can lead to the promotion of training strategies that reflect the real educational needs of nurses. Enhancement of their management skills and updating their knowledge will have positive effects on the level of health care provided.

Key words: Continuing vocational education, COVID-19 pandemic, Health information literacy, Training needs of nursing staff.

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