Acceptance, attitudes, and barriers of vaccine booster dose among nursing students: A multicounty survey

Aim: This study investigated the acceptance and attitudes of nursing students toward the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in two Gulf Cooperation countries and the potential influencing factors for taking a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. Background: The world is still battling coronavirus because of the emerged of variants and because protection against COVID-19 has waned over time. Vaccination is a powerful and effective method of reducing the outbreak of COVID-19 and decreasing the loss of lives. Design: This research was a survey using a cross-sectional design. Methods: The study's sample was two nursing colleges. The study tool was adopted according to recent information concerning the COVID-19 vaccine published by the World Health Organization. Data was collected through an online survey during March to April. Results: A total of 216 nursing students completed the survey, of which 69.4% (n = 150) were male students and more than half of the participants were from Saudi Arabia (55.1%, n = 119). Two-thirds of the students (75.5%, n = 161) reported that they agreed to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster. The total attitude scores for the students ranged from 28 to 35, with a mean score of 15.8 (SD = 2.5), representing 73% of the highest possible score, with 79.3% classified as ‘positive attitude toward booster dose of COVID-19’. Vaccine booster might cause infection, vaccine booster ineffective, worried about adverse effects and not safe were major barriers influencing the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine booster. Conclusion: Nursing students revealed high acceptance rates related to COVID-19 vaccine booster. However, more attention should be paid from nursing educators to barriers influencing the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine booster. Preparing nursing students with positive attitude of COVID-19 vaccine booster is very important to patient and community safety. Implications for Nursing Management: Nursing educators and managers must make an effort to educate the nursing students regarding safety and effectiveness from COVID-19 vaccine booster and ensure that it is necessary to reduce their perception of the injury of COVID-19 infection.