Category Archives: healthcare-associated infections

27Oct / 2021

Project Firstline Reaches Frontline Healthcare Workforce with Infection Control Training

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted long-standing gaps in infection control knowledge and understanding among the frontline healthcare workforce. Since the onset of the pandemic, healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic-resistant infections have increased, reversing national progress made before 2020.

Infectious disease threats like Ebola, COVID-19, and antibiotic resistance will continue to emerge. It’s more important than ever that we equip our nation’s healthcare workforce with the infection control knowledge they need to protect themselves, their patients, and their communities.

One year ago, this month, CDC launched Project Firstline. Project Firstline provides engaging, innovative, and effective infection control education and training for U.S. frontline healthcare workers.

Meeting the Needs of the Diverse Healthcare Workforce

Project Firstline’s innovative content is designed for all healthcare workers, regardless of their previous training or educational background. The program’s training and educational materials provide critical infection control information in a format that best meets healthcare workers’ needs.

During its first year, Project Firstline and its partners hosted more than 300 educational events on infection control and developed more than 130 educational products. The products are accessible on a variety of digital platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and CDC and partner websites. Products currently available on the CDC Project Firstline site include:

Maximizing Impact through Partnerships

Project Firstline brings together academic, public health, and healthcare partners plus 64 state, local, and territorial health departments to provide infection control educational resources to healthcare workers nationwide.

Our partners have used a diverse range of products and activities to reach healthcare workers with tailored infection control information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these activities include Twitter chats, podcasts, videos,  and virtual training events simulcast and translated into multiple languages.

Additionally, Project Firstline launched the Community College Collaborative in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the League of Innovation in the Community College. The program is integrating enhanced infection control content into the health programs of community college classrooms. The program was piloted this summer with faculty cohorts from 16 participating colleges across a range of community college settings. Faculty came together to tailor the infection control curriculum for each professional area, with a plan to phase it into their coursework. Professional areas included:

  • emergency medical services
  • respiratory care
  • nursing
  • practical nursing and nursing assistants
  • medical assisting

This effort will help ensure that the future healthcare workforce starts their careers with key infection control knowledge to protect themselves and their patients.

The Future of Project Firstline

Project Firstline aims to become the go-to resource for infection control among healthcare workers. It will focus on building a strong culture of infection control within all healthcare facilities.

Using insights learned during its first year, the program will create a new suite of readily available and easy-to-consume education materials. The new materials will be designed to help strengthen infection prevention and control capacities beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

Posted by in & Prevention, American Hospital Association, antibiotic resistance, Community College Collaborative, covid 19, Disease Outbreak, ebola, General, healthcare-associated infections, infection control, League for Innovation in the Community College, personal health, Project Firstline, public health, training

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05May / 2016

What You May Not Know about Hand Hygiene – And Really Should

Ask for safe care. Ask for clean hands.

May 5th is World Hand Hygiene Day

We all know that cleaning our hands helps keep threatening germs away, but unclean hands continue to contribute to infections while patients receive care in healthcare settings. On any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection. Many germs that cause these infections are spread from patient to patient on the hands of healthcare providers.

Studies show that, on average, healthcare providers clean their hands less than half of the times they should. CDC recommends that healthcare providers clean their hands before and after touching every patient. When these hand hygiene recommendations are not followed, both providers and patients are at risk for serious infections.

As a patient, here is what you should know about hand hygiene:

1. On average, healthcare providers clean their hands less than half of the times they should. Patient-Poster-Ask-For-Safe-Care

Ask your healthcare team questions. On your next visit to the doctor’s office or hospital, kindly remind your doctor to clean their hands before they begin. Some conversation starters include: “Before you start the exam, would you mind cleaning your hands again?” or “Would it be alright if you cleaned your hands again before changing my bandages?”

For other ways to be a safe patient, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/patientSafety/patient-safety.html

2. Remember, your hands can spread germs too!

You and your visitors should clean hands at these important times:

  • Before touching doorknobs
  • After touching bed rails, bedside tables, remote controls, or the phone
  • Before touching eyes, nose, or mouth
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Before and after changing bandages
  • Before eating (use soap and water)
  • After using restroom (use soap and water)

3. You are encouraged to ask your providers questions!

You might feel hesitant or not know how to start the conversation, but it’s okay to speak up for clean hands! Patients and visitors play an important role in preventing the spread of germs that cause serious infections. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers also need to clean their hands frequently to keep you safe.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidelines for hand hygiene in health-care settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR 2002, 51:1-45.

Posted by in General, hand hygiene, healthcare providers, healthcare-associated infections, patients, Prevention/Vaccination, public health, World Hand Hygiene Day

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