Training Opportunity for Frontline Hospitals: Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Preparedness

 

To: Hospital clinical staff providing care to special pathogens patients (ED, ICU, ID) Infection preventionists Laboratory staff Hospital emergency preparedness staff EMS Hospital directors and managers   From: CDPHE’s Healthcare-Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance Program   The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has partnered with Denver Health to develop training for frontline hospital staff to learn about preparing for a suspect viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) patient. The training consists of an interactive training module followed by a statewide webinar.   This training is intended for:  Hospital clinical staff providing care to VHF patients (ED, ICU, ID) Hospital infection preventionists Hospital laboratory staff Hospital emergency preparedness staff EMS Hospital directors and managers Local public health departments   After completing the training module, hospital staff should have general knowledge of: VHF etiology, transmission, and symptom progression. The differences between Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), and an overview of recent outbreaks. Public health monitoring and the need for frontline hospital preparedness. The “identify, isolate, and inform” framework.   Before accessing the training module, participants are asked to review the Ebola/VHF Frontline Hospital Toolkit, linked below.   Toolkit   The training module (Course ID 1116578) can be accessed on COTrain, linked below.   Training module   Please save the date for a 1.5 hour webinar led by CDPHE and Denver Health on March 4, 2024 at 9:30am MT. This webinar will discuss how frontline hospitals can safely initiate care of a suspect or confirmed VHF patient for 12-24 hours while awaiting transport to the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC). This webinar will also feature a VHF scenario at a frontline hospital and discuss how the facility prepares for and treats a suspect patient prior to transport. Registration for this webinar is required.   Register here   Questions may be directed to CDPHE’s training team at cdphe_dcphr_cdbtraining@state.co.us. .