Purpose
This study describes the attitudes toward Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical discomfort with wearing PPE, obsession with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and perceived psychosocial stress among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies factors affecting perceived psychosocial stress.
Methods
This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to evaluate physical discomfort experienced when wearing PPE, attitudes toward PPE, and obsession with COVID-19. We collected the data between December 2020 and January 2021. The participants were 127 nurses who worked in operating rooms at three hospitals in South Korea. Perceived psychosocial stress was assessed using the Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression.
Results
Having a bachelor's degree (β=.28, p=.031), attitude toward PPE (β=-.22, p=.011), experiencing shortness of breath while wearing PPE (β=.26, p=.008), and obsession with COVID-19 (β=.23, p=.006) were identified as factors affecting the psychosocial stress of nurses who wore PPE and participated in surgery.
Conclusion
Nurses who had a negative attitude toward PPE, experienced shortness of breath while wearing it, and had a high level of obsession with COVID-19 had higher psychosocial stress. To reduce the psychosocial stress of nurses who wear PPE and participate in surgery, we suggest research on education that can reduce repetitive thinking about infectious diseases, such as obsession with COVID-19. Additionally, support is needed to improve positive attitudes toward PPE and alleviate physical discomfort.

Purpose
This study is a prospective observational study that analyzes the factors affecting and the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients under general anesthesia.
Methods
The study enrolled 193 elderly patients who entered the recovery room after surgery under general anesthesia in a certified tertiary hospital. Data were measured twice-first, before surgery and, second, 30 minutes after the patient entered the recovery room-using the Korean Nursing Delirium Screening Scale. The data were analyzed using x ² tests, the independent t-test, and logistic regression from SPSS 22.0.
Results
The incidence of delirium in elderly patients after surgery under general anesthesia was 13.0% (25 of 193 patients). The incidence of delirium was a significant in the following cases: elderly patient, patients who performed physical activity with assistance at pre-operation, those with lower body mass index, those with lower body weight, those with long operative times, and those with high preoperative pain scores. The occurrence of delirium was 16.57 times higher in the presence of comorbidities, 5.74 times higher when hospitalization occurred through the emergency room, and 3.99 times higher when the number of catheters was high.
Conclusion
Screening for early delirium in the recovery room is important, and it can provide basic data for early nursing intervention in patients suffering from postoperative delirium.