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How Can We Better Prepare for the Next Pandemic? NEW TRAINING for health care and essential workers comes to South Dakota “Infections are everywhere, so why isn’t infection prevention? It is bigger than just a hospital need. We will not be able to prevent every infection, but we can certainly try to limit the spread. This will protect you, me, our communities and our state.” – Cheri Fast, SDFMC
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ll health care workers in hospitals and on the frontlines are essential to stopping the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. Now there’s a new program, Project Firstline, to help South Dakota arm its health care workers and first responders with the knowledge and training needed to prevent and control infectious disease threats. Project Firstline is a national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) collaborative designed to provide timely infection control training to the millions of frontline health care workers and public health personnel nationwide. The South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC) is leading Project Firstline in South Dakota, as supported through the SD Department of Health. “The SDFMC is proud to partner with the CDC on this initiative,” said Nancy McDonald, Director of Quality Improvement, who oversees the project at the SDFMC. “The training content – which includes short training videos – educates health workers on infection control procedures and the tools necessary to protect themselves, their facility, patients, and their community.” 16
SiouxFallsWoman.net | April/May 2021
The project targets a variety of health care settings in South Dakota, starting with hospitals and practice clinics, long-term care facilities, home health and hospice, according to Cheri Fast, Program Manager for Project Firstline. Later the training will be available for public service professionals and volunteers serving as first responders, including EMS, firefighters, law enforcement, community health workers, as well as employees in public schools and prison facilities. “This is the really great part,” said Fast, “that the training can be customized to a facility. It starts with having you complete a brief Learning Needs Assessment survey. That way you get the training that YOU want, delivered the way you want, in the format you want.” “The training videos are concise, engaging and innovative,” said Charlotte Hofer, Marketing Director for Project Firstline. “They’re easy to understand, no matter an employee’s previous training or educational background. It fits into busy schedules; and it’s even interactive.” “Whether you serve in acute care or long-term care, in environmental services or law enforcement, administration or as a school nurse, this training program is for you,” said Hofer. “Because the actions our health care frontline take every day make a huge difference in containing an outbreak and alleviating risk.” For more information on Project Firstline or to fill out a Learning Needs Assessment for your facility, visit SDFMC.org. n Pictured above: SDFMC staff Cheri Fast, Nancy McDonald and Charlotte Hofer
