Critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) program will be invited to participate in a four-part train-the-trainer infection prevention series starting in January 2024. The training series is the result of ongoing engagement between the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC) Project Firstline (PFL) team and the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO), a member of the Compass Program.
Jess Danko, MSHA, RRT, LTC-CIP, program director for SDFMC shared, “With resources being short and staffing being an ongoing issue in healthcare facilities, having training that is easy to deliver and readily available provides CAHs a tremendous asset in education. We do the leg work to provide up-to-date infection prevention and control education.”
PFL is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) national training collaborative for infection control used to promote a comprehensive infection control program designed to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in U.S. healthcare settings.
The Train the Trainer Series, held on the third Tuesday each month from January to April 2024, is an exciting opportunity for infection prevention educators in CAHs to become familiar with PFL tools and resources. Session attendees will review pre-developed curriculums and be walked through the steps for implementation.
Project Firstline Line Train-the Trainer Four-Part Series
- January 16, 2024
- February 20, 2024
- March 19, 2024
- April 16, 2024
Michelle Hofer, BSN, RN, CPHQ, clinical improvement consultant at SDAHO, saw the value of PFL for supporting the HQIC. “I am familiar with Project Firstline and the abundance of usable resources within it. When our HQIC project was looking for way to enhance the infection control education for hospitals involved in the project, I felt it was important to connect the two.”
The training content is related to patient safety and applies to the infection prevention control needs of the CAH setting. The training series will provide participants with a foundation of knowledge and the ability to effectively share infection prevention and control content within their healthcare workforce using posters, videos, and interactive education tools.
“As we traveled the state of South Dakota providing PFL education to healthcare facilities, we saw teams unite to improve the process understanding and knowledge of infection prevention and control. Frequent education and re-education are key to ensure staff follow the proper steps and infection prevention protocols to impact patient safety,” Danko emphasized.
Healthcare professionals in CAHs across the state are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from content experts and expand their network of infection prevention professionals. “Collaboration between entities who are working parallel to each other on similar topics is so important,” Hofer declared. “This collaboration will allow goals to be met for both projects, while providing valuable education and resources for hospital staff, which will, in turn, help improve safety for patients and staff. ”
Registration for the Train the Trainer Series is open for all four sessions: January 16, February 20, March 19, and April 16. Those interested can find the collection of infection prevention resources on the SD PFL website.