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Learn infection prevention and control from CDC’s Project Firstline

Author Sara Bergmanson

Project Firstline, a new online training initiative, encourages all frontline health care workers to learn more about the foundations of infection prevention and control. This initiative, started by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a large coalition of health care organizations, aims to help stop the spread of infectious disease threats including COVID-19.

The goal is to educate frontline health care workers so they can understand and confidently apply infection control principles and protocols at work and at home. Project Firstline includes online modules, live webinars, and tele-mentoring that are designed for all health care workers, regardless of training and educational background.

A few training modules are already available, and new trainings and engagement opportunities will be released in the coming months. The modules are concise, each video is less than 10 minutes, and incorporates interactive knowledge checks. The CDC and American Medical Association (AMA) hosted a kick-off event for the project on October 29. It can be viewed here.

Dr. Michael Bell, Director of the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, is the lead physician for Project Firstline. In an interview on the AMA’s YouTube channel, he says, “We estimate that there are upwards of 6 to 10 million health care professionals, this includes all nurses, nursing assistants, receptionists, technicians, radiology techs, dialysis techs, perfusionists, you name it! There is a vast number of people we need to reach.”

The Project Firstline website further states, “To stop the spread of infectious disease threats—including COVID-19—anyone working in a healthcare facility needs a foundational knowledge of infection control and must understand and be ready to implement infection control protocols and procedures throughout their workday, including during every patient care activity and healthcare interaction.”

Partner organizations in Project Firstline include:

  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American Medical Association
  • American Nurses Association
  • Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
  • Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET)
  • National Association of County and City Health Officials
  • National Council on Urban Indian Health
  • National Indian Health Board
  • National Network of Public Health Institutes
  • Emory University
  • Bellevue Hospital
  • University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
  • University of Washington

Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/projectfirstline and follow their social media pages on Facebook or Twitter to stay up-to-date on their training releases.