Effect of Educational Intervention of Laboratory Technicians' on Work Precautions and nosocomial infections

Abstract

Background:Laboratory and other health care workers are exposed to a variety of occupational health hazards, particularly laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs), due to inconsistent adherence to universal work precautions (UWP). These precautions are essential in minimizing the risk of exposure to potentially infectious materials. Despite their importance, many laboratory technicians are unaware of the risks involved, which can result in unsafe laboratory practices. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Educational Intervention of Laboratory Technicians' on  Work Precautions and nosocomial infections

Methods:An interventional study was conducted with laboratory technicians at a tertiary care teaching hospital. A pretest-posttest design was used, where participants completed a self-administered questionnaire before and after an educational intervention. The intervention consisted of two 1.5-hour interactive lectures on universal precautions and laboratory biosafety measures. The questionnaire, developed from existing biosafety guidelines, included 60 questions covering demographic information, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Data were analyzed using statistical tests, including Pearson chi-square and paired t-tests, with a significance level set at P < .05.

Results:The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the participants following the educational intervention (P < .0001). Before the intervention, 60% of participants had poor knowledge, 82.5% had moderate attitudes, and 60% exhibited poor practices. Post-intervention, 45% of participants showed good knowledge, all participants had good attitudes, and 40% demonstrated good practices. Significant improvements were observed in 14 of the 18 knowledge-related questions, 4 of the 12 attitude-related questions, and 14 of the 19 practice-related questions. The absolute learning gain was high, with a medium class average normalized gain across all sections.

Conclusion:The educational intervention significantly enhanced the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians concerning universal work precautions. These findings suggest that targeted educational programs are effective in improving laboratory safety practices and reducing the risk of laboratory-acquired infections. Regular training and reinforcement of biosafety measures are essential to ensuring laboratory workers’ adherence to safety protocols.