Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Hacettepe Sağlık İdaresi Dergisi, cilt.24, sa.4, ss.867-884, 2021 (Hakemli Dergi)
In this study, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by pharmacy employees (responsible manager pharmacist, second pharmacist, trainee pharmacist, pharmacy technician and pharmacy apprentice), working in the community pharmacies, while offering their daily service during the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties experienced by them due to the use of these equipment were evaluated. The study was conducted with 405 employees working in the community pharmacies located in a metropolitan area. A survey consisting of 44 descriptive questions was prepared by the researchers. The survey was applied face-to-face by taking the necessary measures for COVID-19. All analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 22). It was found that 94.07% of the community pharmacy employees were wearing only surgical mask, 3.95% were wearing only N95 mask, and 1.98% were using both masks. The participants were using at least one protective equipment for an average of 9.6 hours a day and an average of 5.9 days a week. In addition, approximately 98.52% of the participants considered that the size of PPE they used was appropriate, 86.42% believed that PPE was protective against COVID-19 and 86.91% believed that PPE prevented the risk of infection. On the other hand, the participants replaced the mask 3 times a day on average. And 62.47% stated that the mask did not affect their working skills. 26.42% of those who stated that the mask had an effect on skills believed that it negatively affected their speech skills. It was concluded that the use of PPE did not cause negative symptoms such as headache, asthma, depression, anxiety, skin problems, motivation loss, and stress among pharmacy employees and they adjusted to working with these equipment.