Assessment of Iranian Nurses' Knowledge and Anxiety Toward COVID-19 During the Current Outbreak in Iran

Background: The world is affected by the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Because of their direct contact with patients, health workers, especially nurses, play critical roles in the prevention of the COVID-19 outbreak through proper care and preventive procedures. Objectives: This study aimed to measure the awareness level of nurses in Shiraz, Iran, during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire containing knowledge questions was distributed to 85 participants to complete. Results: More than half of the nurses (56.5%) had good knowledge about sources, transmission, symptoms, signs, prognosis, treatment, and mortality rate of COVID-19. The sources of information for the nurses were the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health (55.29%), social applications (48.23%), and media (42.35%). Conclusions: Nurses had almost good knowledge of COVID-19. However, the WHO and the Ministry of Health still must provide more information for the medical staff for better control of the infectious disease.