Scientific Paper Entitled: The Effect of Educational Intervention on The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices of Laboratory Technicians Regarding Comprehensive Work Precautions in The Government Health Sector in The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: Laboratory technicians face occupational health hazards that pose a serious risk to their well-being. To protect themselves from infections acquired in the laboratory, it is important for technicians to be familiar with universal work precautions. A targeted educational program was developed to increase awareness of universal precautions and promote behavioral changes in attitudes and practices, ultimately reducing the occurrence of laboratory-acquired infections. This study aimed to assess the existing levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices among laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions a in the government health sector in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions.

Methods: The study involved 40 laboratory technicians who received educational interventions in the form of training on universal precautions. Pretest and posttest evaluations were conducted using questionnaires to measure the extent of knowledge gained. The responses to each question in the pretest and posttest were compared using the Pearson chi-square test. The mean scores from the pretest and posttest were compared using paired t-tests, with a significance level set at .05.

Results: Following the educational intervention and training sessions, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions.

Conclusion: Based on the findings, it is recommended that regular training sessions be conducted for laboratory technicians to enhance knowledge retention and foster a positive attitude towards universal precautions.