Determining training and education needs pertaining to highly infectious disease preparedness and response: A gap analysis survey of US emergency medical services practitioners

Buehler, Sean; Maniscalco, Paul M.; Lane, Pamela; Rupp, Lloyd E.; Ernest, Eric; Seggern, Debra Von; West, Katherine; Herstein, Jocelyn J.; Jelden, Katelyn C.; Beam, Elizabeth L.; Gibbs, Shawn G.; Lowe, John J.

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2017.09.024

Cited by 25 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Despite occupational exposure risks, awareness of and training on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and chemical, biological, and nuclear (CBN) threats has been decreasing (1,2). Furthermore, previous infectious disease outbreaks, such as the Ebola virus in 2014, have demonstrated critical gaps in training on PPE in the prehospital setting (3). Even among EMS personnel with documented training on appropriate donning and doffing of PPE, skill degradation appears to be common (4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency Medical Services Personnel Awareness and Training about Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cash¹,

Rivard²,

Camargo³

et al. 2021

Prehospital Emergency Care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: With the emergence of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), appropriate training for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel on personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential. We aimed: 1) to examine the change in proportions of EMS personnel reporting awareness of and training in PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic; and 2) to determine factors associated with reporting these outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data collected from October 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 from currently working, nationally certified EMS personnel (n=15,339), assessing N95 respirator fit testing; training in air purified respirators (APR) or powered APR (PAPR) use; and training on PPE use for chemical, biological, and nuclear (CBN) threats. We used an interrupted time series analysis to determine changes in proportions of EMS personnel reporting training per week, using the date of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) initial EMS guidance (February 6, 2020) as the interruption. We fit multivariable logistic regression models to understand factors associated with each outcome. Results: We found high awareness of N95 respirators (99%) and APR/PAPR (91%), but only 61% reported N95 fit testing and 64% reported training on PPE for CBN threats in the prior 12 months. There was a significant, positive slope change after CDC guidance for N95 respirator fit testing, and significant post-interruption mean increases for fit testing (0.9%, 95% CI 0.6-1.1%), APR/PAPR training (0.3%, 95% CI 0.2-0.5%), and PPE for CBN threats training (0.6%, 95% CI 0.3-0.9%). Factors consistently associated with lower odds of awareness/training included part-time employment, providing 9-1-1 response service, working at a non-fire-based EMS agency, and working in a rural setting. Conclusions: CDC guidance on COVID-19 for EMS may have increased N95 fit testing and training, but there remain substantial gaps in training on PPE use among EMS personnel. As the pandemic continues in our communities, EMS agencies should be supported in efforts to adequately prepare their staff.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency Medical Services Personnel Awareness and Training about Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cash¹,

Rivard²,

Camargo³

et al. 2021

Prehospital Emergency Care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Heightened awareness of air medical crews is critical to preventing further spread of the virus to themselves and to future patients involved in helicopter transport in the same aircraft 17 . Strict adherence and training on appropriate PPE guidelines and decontamination procedures are the mainstay for prevention of further transmission in prehospital workers when managing HCIDs 18,19 . The unique working environment of the helicopter cabin is an enclosed space in which rapid patient assessment and clinical resuscitation must be performed.…”

Section: Development Of Rotor Wing Clinical and Operation Guidelines mentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration of aeromedicine in the response to the COVID‐19 pandemic

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There is limited guidance on the use of helicopter medical personnel to facilitate care of critically ill COVID‐19 patients. This manuscript describes the emergence of this novel virus, its mode of transmission, and the potential impacts on patient care in the unique environment of rotor wing aircraft. It details the development of clinical and operational guidelines for flight crew members. This allows other out‐of‐hospital clinicians to utilize our framework to augment or supplement their own for the current response effort to COVID‐19. It further serves as a road map for future response to the care of high consequence infectious disease patients.

show abstract

“…The Ebola outbreak raised concerns about national public health preparedness, including the issues of misdiagnosis, border control, entry and exit rights of the people infected with the disease, and mandatory quarantine, to name a few (Gostin et al, 2014;Hageman et al, 2016). In particular, the delayed treatment of the first EVD patient and disease transmission in the hospital revealed a lack of guidelines and training for healthcare workers (Le et al, 2018). Based on the experience of Ebola, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidelines for frontline healthcare facilities and Ebola assessment/treatment hospitals.…”

Section: Learning From Ebolamentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning before and during the COVID-19 outbreak: a comparative analysis of crisis learning in South Korea and the US

Lee

Yeo

2020

International Review of Public Administration

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Determining training and education needs pertaining to highly infectious disease preparedness and response: A gap analysis survey of US emergency medical services practitioners

Abstract: Strengthening EMS preparedness in response to suspected or confirmed HID cases may not only improve patient outcomes, but also worker and community safety.

Cited by 25 publications

References 27 publications

Emergency Medical Services Personnel Awareness and Training about Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emergency Medical Services Personnel Awareness and Training about Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Integration of aeromedicine in the response to the COVID‐19 pandemic

Learning before and during the COVID-19 outbreak: a comparative analysis of crisis learning in South Korea and the US

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About