Through this highly interactive course, participants are introduced to the opportunities, processes, challenges, and realities of working as part of an international multidisciplinary outbreak response team on a GOARN deployment with the World Health Organization (WHO). This course details the steps involved to apply for deployment, explores the types of tasks undertaken and the people you’re likely to work with when deploying as an Infection Prevention and Control specialist in different response environments, and introduces concepts for adapting technical Infection Prevention and Control skills in dynamic field-settings.
Participants will hear from former GOARN deployees who will share their personal deployment experiences and collectively and honestly explore the mental and physical well-being challenges of deploying internationally to a public health emergency. Upon completion of this workshop participants are encouraged to self-reflect upon their suitability and interest in volunteering to deploy with GOARN and WHO internationally in the future and will be provided with avenues for further developing their international outbreak response skills.
Attendance for this session is strictly limited to 40 people. It is a requirement for people to attend the workshop in-person at the ICC Sydney.
This course is targeted to highly experienced Infection, Prevention and Control specialists who are affiliated with GOARN Partner Institutions such as the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control with an interest in learning about opportunities and deploying internationally with GOARN and WHO. It is designed for IPC specialists with limited international outbreak response experience.
Attendees should:
- Have at least 5 years full time equivalent experience in IPC
- IPC experience in outbreak response within the healthcare setting and/or state/national level
Notes:
An expression of interest will be required upon registering to attend the course which will be reviewed by the ACIPC GOARN Focal Point in consultation with GOARN staff against a set of criteria aligned with GOARN deployment requirements. These applications will close six weeks before the workshop.
Complete this form and send your current curriculum vitae to goarn@acipc.org.au by 1700hrs AEST Monday the 10th of October, 2022.
All participants are required to complete a series of self-directed eCourses prior to the workshop. These courses provide an overview of GOARN, the GOARN deployment process and WHO in Emergencies. Details and instructions for accessing and completing these eCourses will be shared with participants up to one-month prior to the workshop.
This workshop is convened by:
Dr Sharon Salmon, Technical Officer, Global Outbreak Alert and Response (GOARN), World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman, GOARN Focal Point, Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control/Griffith University
Dr Renee Christensen, World Health Organization / GOARN