Terri Rebmann1, Travis M Loux2, Thomas K Zink3, Zachary Swick4, Mary Wakefield3. 1. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Institute for Biosecurity, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO. Electronic address: rebmannt@slu.edu. 2. Department of Biostatistics, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO. 3. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Institute for Biosecurity, College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO. 4. Oregon Military Department, Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Portland, OR.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Points of dispensing (PODs) are deployed for medical countermeasure mass dispensing. However, infection prevention and vaccine administration pre-event training offered and just-in-time (JIT) education planned for POD workers have not been assessed. METHODS: Disaster planners were sent an online questionnaire in 2013. McNemar tests compared training offered to staff versus volunteers and pre-event training versus JIT training. RESULTS: In total, 301 disaster planners participated. The most frequent pre-event training included hand hygiene (59.1% and 28.0%) and personal protective equipment (PPE) selection (52.1% and 24.1%) for staff and volunteers, respectively. Few provided pre-event training on the cold chain technique (14.8% and 5.1%) or smallpox vaccine administration (4.7% and 2.3%) for staff or volunteers. For all topics except smallpox vaccine administration, more staff than volunteers received pre-event training (P < .01). The most frequent planned JIT training includes hand hygiene (79.8% and 73.5%) and PPE selection (79.4% and 70.0%) to staff and volunteers. For all topics, more JIT education is planned for staff than volunteers (P < .001). More JIT training is planned than has been given pre-event for all topics (P < .001). CONCLUSION: More pre-event training is needed on infection prevention and vaccine administration to ensure safe and successful POD deployment.
BACKGROUND: Points of dispensing (PODs) are deployed for medical countermeasure mass dispensing. However, infection prevention and vaccine administration pre-event training offered and just-in-time (JIT) education planned for POD workers have not been assessed. METHODS: Disaster planners were sent an online questionnaire in 2013. McNemar tests compared training offered to staff versus volunteers and pre-event training versus JIT training. RESULTS: In total, 301 disaster planners participated. The most frequent pre-event training included hand hygiene (59.1% and 28.0%) and personal protective equipment (PPE) selection (52.1% and 24.1%) for staff and volunteers, respectively. Few provided pre-event training on the cold chain technique (14.8% and 5.1%) or smallpox vaccine administration (4.7% and 2.3%) for staff or volunteers. For all topics except smallpox vaccine administration, more staff than volunteers received pre-event training (P < .01). The most frequent planned JIT training includes hand hygiene (79.8% and 73.5%) and PPE selection (79.4% and 70.0%) to staff and volunteers. For all topics, more JIT education is planned for staff than volunteers (P < .001). More JIT training is planned than has been given pre-event for all topics (P < .001). CONCLUSION: More pre-event training is needed on infection prevention and vaccine administration to ensure safe and successful POD deployment.