Abstract: Needle Stick Injuries (NSI) has become a global concern due to the risk of bloodborne disease transmission. Nursing interns are the most vulnerable group to NSI in the clinical setting. Although this seems to be a common problem among nursing interns, only a few studies have investigated this issue. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of implementing a needle stick injury educational program on nursing interns' competencies concerning the prevention of needle stick injury incidence. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The sample included 68 nursing interns, who were conveniently selected. The data for this study were collected using three tools: a socio-demographic characteristics tool; a self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge and perception about NSI; and a checklist to assess interns’ practice regarding NSI. Data were collected before the educational program (pre-test) and three times after the program (2, 4, and 6 weeks). The data were analyzed using measures of central tendency; differences in demographic variables were tested using the Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test; and the correlation between study variables was analyzed using the Pearson correlation test. The study found that there was a significant increase in the competencies of the participants after implementing an educational program for the prevention of NSI. Moreover, the results revealed that there was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and perception, knowledge and practice, and perception and practice for the participants. Furthermore, there was no correlation between the participants' competencies and their socio-demographic characteristics. In conclusion, implementing an educational program regarding NSI prevention is effective in improving nursing interns' competencies concerning the prevention of NSI incidence and post-exposure interventions.
Keywords: needle stick injuries; sharp injuries; knowledge; perception; practice; competencies; educational program; interns.
Title: The Effect of Needle Stick Injury Educational Program on Nursing Interns' Competencies
Author: Ohoud J Aljaloud, Hend A Elshnawie, Rima S Al-Garni
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 10, Issue 2, October 2022 - March 2023
Page No: 221-232
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 20-February-2023
