The Infection Control for Emergency Responders (ICER) Collaborative and Training Hub is excited to enter the outreach and input collection phase of its project plan. ICER, housed in the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida, is working to champion the concerns for EMS and fire personnel related to pathogen exposure and transmission.
In recent years, the evolving needs and challenges of infection prevention and control (IPC) practice have been recognized as a critical component of patient and worker safety. There is a growing wave of recommended IPC training and workforce development programing, largely centralized on hospital and traditional healthcare settings.
The importance of IPC practices in the prehospital setting cannot be overstated. IPC training should not be approached with a “one size fits all” mentality, yet resources tailored to the needs of EMS and fire personnel are scarce.
Because input from field personnel is an essential element of training material development, ICER aims to give a voice to EMS and fire personnel. Post-pandemic, field personnel have a wealth of knowledge, based on their lived experiences, to share.
ICER aims to serve as a trusted source of information and training resources related to infectious disease issues. Share your thoughts about information gaps and needs, best ways to deliver IPC training materials, and best ways to motivate personnel to participate.
