Impact of Educational Intervention on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Laboratory Technicians regarding Universal Work Precautions at a Tertiary Health Care Center in Central India

Abstract

Introduction: Laboratory technicians are routinely exposed to occupational health hazards that can be a serious threat to their health. To safeguard themselves against laboratory-acquired infections, they must be aware of universal work precautions. A targeted educational intervention to increase awareness about universal precautions was designed to result in behavioral changes in attitudes and practices to help reduce the incidence of laboratory-acquired infections. This study was planned to assess the preexisting levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions at a tertiary care hospital in central India and to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions on the same. Method: The 40 lab technicians participating in the study were subjected to educational interventions in the form of training on universal precautions. Pretest and posttest evaluations using questionnaires were conducted to evaluate the learning gain. Pretest and posttest responses to each question were compared using the Pearson chi-square test. The subjects’ mean pretest and posttest scores were compared using paired t tests, and the significance level was set at .05. Results: There was remarkably significant improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions after the educational intervention/training sessions. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings, it was suggested that such training sessions should be conducted regularly for laboratory technicians to help in better retention of knowledge and to instill a positive attitude toward universal precautions.