The potential benefit of an educational intervention on needle stick injury prevention among dental students at the university of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia: a prospective study.

backgroundNeedle stick injuries (NSIs) pose a significant occupational hazard to healthcare professionals, including dental students. Despite the availability of guidelines and preventive strategies, knowledge, training, and compliance remain inadequate among dental students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the Prospective gain of an educational pack in reducing NSIs and improving knowledge of attitudes towards, and compliance with NSI prevention and management guidelines among dental students.

methodsA prospective audit design was employed over four weeks, involving fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-year dental students. The study consisted of three phases: pre-assessment, educational intervention, and post-assessment. Baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Self-reported compliance with safe sharps handling practices has been designated as the primary outcome. The educational pack, comprising presentations, comparative data, interactive scenarios, and guidelines, was delivered during the intervention phase. Post-intervention assessments used the same questionnaire to measure changes in outcomes. Data were analysed using SPSS, and statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05.

resultsPost-intervention, the incidence of NSIs significantly decreased, with self-reported cases reducing from 17.2% to 4.3%. Knowledge scores improved markedly, with the percentage of correct answers to key questions rising from 34.5% to 93.1% among sixth-year students (p = 0.032). Gender-based analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in scores for both male and female students, with female students achieving higher post-assessment scores for key questions (e.g. 93.8% vs 75.6%, p = 0.014). Students with lower GPAs demonstrated the greatest improvement, with scores increasing from 14.3% to 100% in some areas (p = 0.022).

conclusionThe findings underscore the change following the intervention of structured infection control training in reducing NSIs and improving adherence to guidelines. Integrating such programs into dental curricula is vital for fostering a culture of safety and compliance in clinical practice. This study aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, emphasising the importance of enhancing healthcare quality and occupational safety through targeted educational interventions.