Preparing the Frontlines: Delivering Special Pathogen Training to Maryland Hospital Staff

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health Preparedness
• Medical Education

Background:

• Frontline hospitals (FLHs) may encounter patients with high-consequence infectious pathogens.
• Healthcare workers (HCWs) require specialized knowledge and skills for such encounters.
• Existing training programs may not adequately prepare HCWs in community settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a 1-day training program for HCWs at FLHs.
• To enhance HCW knowledge and skills in responding to potential high-consequence pathogen cases.
• To assess the impact of training on HCW preparedness.

Main Methods:

• A 1-day in-person didactic and skills training program was developed and piloted.
• The training focused on the Identify, Isolate, and Inform framework and personal protective equipment (PPE) use.
• Paired pre- and post-training knowledge assessments were conducted with 135 HCWs from 12 FLHs.

Main Results:

• A significant learning gain was observed in participants' knowledge (P<.05).
• Over 95% of participants found the training relevant, and clinical simulations and materials useful.
• The pilot program demonstrated feasibility and acceptability despite interruption by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions:

• A 1-day combined didactic and skills training program is feasible and acceptable for enhancing HCW preparedness for high-consequence pathogens.
• The training effectively improved knowledge and skills relevant to daily work.
• Future efforts will expand the training to more FLHs based on pilot findings.