Training of healthcare workers to protect from infectious diseases

Mr Mohammed Owais Qureshi¹, Dr. Abrar Chughtai¹, Dr. Holly Seale¹

¹University Of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Introduction

Numerous studies have been done within countries to look at the availability and delivery of occupational health and safety (OHS) training for healthcare workers (HCWs). However, there has been a failure to date to compare countries to explore the level of variation in guidelines and recommendations regarding the development and implementation of OHS training, focused particularly on staff health. Our study compared the infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines from multinational and individual countries to explore the recommendations.

Methods

This program of work reviewed IPC guidelines from the WHO, the US CDC, and eight selected countries, as well as the pandemic guidelines from 23 countries. Twenty-one key-stakeholders from six selected high, low- and middle-income countries were interviewed to further understand the landscape. Lastly, a two-round modified-Delphi approach was used to develop recommendations on the elements required to ensure best practice around training.

Results

Our study identified mode/timing of delivery and curriculum differed across all IPC guidelines.  Few acknowledged the need to incorporate adult learning principles. Four pandemic guidelines discussed training HCWs on correct personal protective equipment (PPE) use. None of the COVID-19 guidelines recommended training HCWs for PPE reuse or extended use. Inadequate training, poor resource allocation, lack of leadership support, were some factors identified through interviews.

Conclusion

While it is critical that training materials and approaches are tailored for localised settings, it is also important that countries ensure that best practice principles are captured within guidelines to set a standard for health department and individual organisations to follow.

Biography:

Mohammed Owais Qureshi is currently a PhD student at the School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales. His work focuses specifically on reviewing key elements of occupational health and safety training with a focus on infection prevention and control, delivered to healthcare workers to protect from infectious diseases.  His area of interest include global health policy, emerging infectious diseases and human resource management. Prior to joining his PhD, he worked as an academic in the Middle East.