Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To systematically integrate the best available evidence for the prevention and management of sharp instrument injuries among dental healthcare professionals (DHCWs) so as to provide bases for formulating specialized occupational protection strategies.
METHODS The major websites of guidelines, databases and professional dental association websites were systematically retrieved based on "6S" evidence model, with the time period ranging between the establishment of databases and Jan. 1, 2025. Two researchers who received evidence-based training took charge of the independent screening of literatures, assessment of quality and extraction of data. The evidence rating estimation was carried out by JBI evidence pre-grading system, and recommendations were integrated and formulated by thematic synthesis.
RESULTS A total of 26 literatures were included, from which 23 pieces of evidence covering the entire process of prevention and management of sharp instrument injuries in oral specialty were extracted. The requirements for preventive and control in eight dimensions were as follows: systematic training, administrative supervision, clinical environment, occupational protection, four-handed cooperation, safe instruments, disposal of contaminated sharp instruments, and emergency response. The core content covers key links such as training assessment, system construction, operational norms, instrument selection, and emergency response.
CONCLUSIONS The health care workers of oral specialty are a high-risk population for the sharp instrument injuries. It is an effective way to strengthen the hospital management and training, standardize the sharp instrument operations, and use safe instruments so as to reduce the incidence of sharp instrument injuries and subsequently promote the localized transformation and clinical implementation of the evidence.