The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of healthcare workers in disease prevention, particularly through vaccination. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, perception, and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among nurses at Wesley Guild Hospital (WGH), Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria, to identify gaps and inform targeted interventions. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and 150 nurses were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected via a validated, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that nurses demonstrated generally good knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines, with high awareness of vaccine types, availability, and preventive benefits. Attitudes were largely positive, with most respondents expressing willingness to receive the vaccine, engage in preventive behaviors, and recommend vaccination to others. Perceptions were favorable, particularly regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness, though some misconceptions persisted, including concerns about unknown side effects and doubts about vaccine equivalence to those used in developed countries. Uptake was relatively high (70.7%), but completion of the recommended two-dose regimen was suboptimal (44.2%), and hesitancy remained among unvaccinated respondents. Key factors influencing uptake included trust in authorities, concerns about side effects, misinformation, and confidence in vaccine efficacy. The study highlights the importance of evidence-based educational interventions, strengthened communication strategies, and leveraging nurses as advocates to improve vaccine coverage and acceptance.
Keywords: COVID-19, Healthcare, Knowledge, Nurses, attitude, vaccination, vaccine uptake
