Knowledge and Practice of Medical Technologists on COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Laboratory

ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION
The corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a continuing threat to human lives and livelihoods worldwide.Healthcare workers (HCW) are on the front lines of the pandemic's fight.During the pandemic, several health-care workers (HCWs) were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and died.The medical technology industry is critical to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The major responsibility of medical technologists is to collect biological samples for testing.The pandemic, on the other hand, has made specimen collection more difficult for medical technologists because it necessitates more experience, training, and quality equipment to avoid contracting the virus.The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), supply, staffing, communication and coordination, and workplace culture are some of the themes formulated with regards to the key factors of the COVID-19 outbreak [1].Clinical laboratories provide diagnostic testing services to support the effective delivery of care in today's complex healthcare systems [2] The work environments of biomedical laboratory specialists are extremely hazardous due to the presence of both suspected and unknown infectious pathogens.A lack of understanding, as well as bad laboratory techniques, might Corresponding Author: Most.Rabeya Khatun have a double impact.Lack of communication and support from the community and government, and shortfall attention and recognition for the staff were also among the perceived barriers by the healthcare workers due to the pandemic [3].There are also several significant implications of the pandemic on the mental conditions of healthcare workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Anxiety, stress, fear, suffering, depression, and turmoil were some of the psychological problems associated with the onset of the pandemic [4,5].Implementing infection prevention and control guidelines provides a practical, evidence-based approach to prevent both patients and health workers from being harmed by avoidable infection and possible hazards.It comprises a set of recommendations created to minimize and prevent harm to healthcare workers and patients induced by exposure to infectious agents [6].The IPC program includes standard and transmission-based precautions that all laboratory and other healthcare workers must familiarize themselves with.These precautions involve practices of hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (gloves, gowns, masks, plastic aprons, face shields and protective eyewear), the safe use and disposal of sharps, routine environmental cleaning and waste management [7].Social distance, wearing face masks to prevent both inhalation and transfer of infected droplets, and adequate hand hygiene by regularly washing hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers are all used to prevent and manage the spread of .A lack of understanding, as well as bad laboratory techniques, might have a double impact.For starters, a misdiagnosis that leads to poor patient management can have serious effects for the patient as well as impair transmission prevention efforts; Second, a poor attitude and practices may result in safety issues (such as infection transmission) that are harmful to both the concerned employees and their immediate environment, for this aspect this study was conducted with the purpose to assess the knowledge and practices of medical technologists in Bangladesh who are involved in the diagnosis of COVID-19.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Study design:
The study was a Cross-sectional Study to explore the knowledge and practice of medical technologist on COVID-19 infection prevention in laboratory in selected hospital and institute in Dhaka city.

Study setting:
The study was conducted in six (6) hospital and institutes in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Name of the hospital and institute were as follows:

Sample size and sampling:
The calculated sample size was 221.Sample was included following non-randomized convenient sampling technique and using a standard written informed consent form.
Data collection: Data were collected by face-to-face interview with the purpose of the study was explained in details to the respondents and data were collected from the sampling population through structure questionnaire.Same questionnaire was used for each respondent for data collection.It was made clear to the respondents that they were a liberty to answer or not to answer any question.
Data analysis: Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS software.After completion of data collection, to maintain consistency, relevancy the data were checked and edited manually and verified before tabulation.Data were coded, entered and analyzed in a computer according to the objectives and variables.The findings of the study were presented by frequency, percentage in tables and graphs and mean Interval were used.
Ethics: Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB).The aim and objective of the study along with its procedure and benefits were explained to the respondents in easily understandable local language and then informed written consent was taken.

Table 5. Distribution of respondents by practice etiquette in cough and sneeze, dispose of used tissue immediately, avoid contact with other, and avoid crowds and public gathering to prevention of COVID-19 infection (n-221).
Table 5 shows the highest 84.2% of the respondents were practice sometimes etiquette I cough and sneezing, 87.3% of the respondent were always dispose used tissue immediately, 94.1% of the respondents were sometimes avoid contact with other and 95.9% of the respondents were sometimes avoid crowds and public gathering.

DISCUSSION
COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly changing global health challenge affecting all sectors.HCWs are not only at the forefront of the fight against this highly contagious infectious disease but are also directly or indirectly affected by it and the likelihood of acquiring this disease is higher among HCWs compared to the general population.
The present cross-sectional study had been undertaken with the objective to assess the knowledge and practice of medical technologists in hospital and institute.It is tertiary level hospital and institute in Bangladesh.

Corresponding Author: Most. Rabeya Khatun Table 1. Distribution of the respondents by Socio-demographic characteristics (n-221).
descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 6 tertiary level hospitals and Institute such as National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre (NILMRC), Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital (ShSMCH), Bangabandhu Sheik Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Sheik Russel Gastro liver Institute and hospital (SRGIH), Institute of Public Health (IPH) and Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).The aim of study was to assess the state of knowledge and practice of medical technologists on COVID-19 infection prevention in laboratory.Total 221 respondents were selected as sample.The data were collected by structured questionnaire.Collected data were processed and analyzed with the help of SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Science) version 26.

Table 4
work with safety cabinet.All of the respondents 100% were always practiced to dispose of PPE, 99.5% of the respondents were always use color code bin for waste disposal, highest 96.4% of the respondents were always clean the laboratory item, 67.4% of the respondents were always disinfected work face and 62% respondents rarely visitor allow enter in laboratory.
shows the highest 96.8% of the respondents were always washing hand with soap and water at least 20 second, only 20.8% were always wash hand by six-step technique, highest 96.8% of the respondents were always sanitize hand with sanitizer, most of the respondents 96.8% were use PPE during sample processing and 97.2% of the respondents were Corresponding Author: Most.Rabeya Khatun always

Corresponding Author: Most. Rabeya Khatun Around
The use of PPE is very critical in protecting healthcare professional against COVID-19; however, they are not substitute for proper infection prevention and control practice.Meanwhile, healthcare Workers must be familiar and proficient in wearing (donning) and removing (doffing) the PPE [9].84.2% of the respondent were getting training about COVID-19 infection prevention, highest 35.7% of the respondents were getting training in laboratory safety against COVID-19, and 24.9% of the respondents were getting training in sample packaging of COVID-19 infection.CONCLUSION There should be need to minimize the knowledge and practice gaps of infection prevention among medical technologists by training.Through periodic training and motivation, adequate supply of resources and infection prevention materials, quarantine facility for medical technologists should be available in hospital and institute that can improve overall knowledge and practice on COVID-19 infection prevention of medical technologists.