Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for everyone, but especially for those on the frontlines of healthcare who worked tirelessly to keep patients, coworkers, themselves, and their families safe. Many often felt overwhelmed by changing guidance, which further exacerbated the longstanding gaps in infection control knowledge and practice in healthcare settings nationwide.
Amy Kolwaite, Ph.D., RN, ARNP
Amy Kolwaite, Ph.D., RN, ARNP, Nurse Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
“We must ensure healthcare workers understand that infection control is the practical application of decision-making that prevents the spread of infection.”
These existing challenges and practice gaps highlighted the need for innovative education and training that would meet the learning needs of a diverse healthcare workforce and allow for practical implementation, but most importantly reflect and support their lived experiences.
In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched Project Firstline, a national training and education collaborative that supports our healthcare workforce to better understand infection risks so they can take action to protect themselves and others.
Partnership brings greater Impact
One of the cornerstones of Project Firstline is CDC’s extensive network of more than 80 collaborative partners. Working with healthcare, academic, and public health organizations, including 64 state and local health departments, Project Firstline can more effectively target, reach, and educate the healthcare workforce through the development of accessible resources and trusted communications channels.
Our program partners play a key role in amplifying and adapting infection control training resources to meet the needs of their unique audiences. Partner channels also help us reach a wide variety of healthcare workers, including those who provide care across the lifespan, from pediatrics to long-term care, and across different healthcare settings.
Since launch, Project Firstline and its partners have reached more than 153,000 healthcare workers with infection control education and resources, and developed more than 900 educational products and training materials.
Moving forward
Infectious disease threats continue to emerge and threaten the safety of healthcare workers and their patients, stressing the resilience of healthcare systems. To strengthen our healthcare systems and continue supporting frontline healthcare workers in receiving critical infection control information, it’s important that we move beyond education and training focused solely on guidance, policies, and rules.
We must ensure healthcare workers understand that infection control is the practical application of decision-making that prevents the spread of infection. By listening and responding to healthcare workers needs and preferences, we can continue to meet them where they are with the infection control information they need to make healthcare safer for all.