Effectiveness of Training on Standard Precautions to Prevent Needle Stick Injuries among Health Professionals: A Systematic Review.

Review objectives The main objective of this systematic review is to critically appraise, synthesise and present the best available evidence on the effectiveness of training on standard precautions to prevent needle stick injuries among health professionals. More specifically, the objectives of this systematic review are to provide summarised evidence on: 1. The impact of standard precautions training on the frequency of needle stick injury among health professionals 2. Knowledge and practice change after training on standard precautions by health professionals 3. Needle stick injury morbidity, mortality and complications change after training on standard precautions among health professionals Inclusion criteria Types of participants This review will consider studies that include health professionals involved in clinical practices at different departments of private and governmental health institutions in both developed and developing countries. Specifically, the review will consider studies where the populations of interest are medical doctors, nurses/midwifes, auxiliary nurses, laboratory technicians, medical doctor students. There will be no restriction by age, gender or time in clinical practice among health professionals. Types of intervention The type of intervention for this systematic review will be training on standard precautions to prevent needle stick injuries among health professionals. Training in this case is the pre-service and/or in-service training given to health professionals on using and how to use protective devices to prevent needle stick injury. Comparators The comparators for this review will be health professionals who follow the standard precautions and who do not follow standard precautions. Types of outcomes The outcomes of interest for this systematic review will include: 1. Frequency of needle stick injury among health professionals 2. Knowledge and practices of standard precautions by health professionals 3. Morbidity, mortality and complications related with needle stick injury among health professionals