What’s Wrong with This Picture? The Emergency Room

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Project Firstline program offers training and educational resources on various infection control topics, including risk recognition and infection control basics related to COVID-19.

These training and educational resources are designed for all healthcare workers, no matter their role or educational background.

Join us as Salud America! explores Project Firstline’s interactive infection control resources for healthcare workers through a three-part series on, “What’s Wrong with This Picture?”

Today we will tackle the emergency room.

Part 2 will address the nurse’s station.

Part 3 will focus on an outpatient exam room.

Can You Recognize Infection Control Risks?

Healthcare workers must be aware of where germs live and how they can spread to surfaces and people.

In the picture below, there are three problems that may cause germs to spread. Can you spot and identify how to fix these issues?

Show Me the Answers!

If you look closely, you may notice that the healthcare worker is not wearing his mask properly.

Wearing his mask below his nose increases the risk for germs to spread through respiratory droplets. Masks must cover both the mouth and nose to keep respiratory droplets from entering the air or getting on people or surfaces and spreading germs.

Can you spot the next infection control risk?

That’s right – reusable Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), such as face shields, should be stored in a way that makes it obvious that it is clean, such as in a labeled container.

If PPE is not reusable it should be thrown away after use.

There’s one more infection control risk in the emergency room – can you find it?

Hint: the answer may cause flashbacks of your mother yelling at you to do your laundry.

That’s correct! In the background you can see an overflowing dirty linens bag.

Dirty linens are covered in germs and should be placed in a marked bag or bin. You should also make sure the linens are fully inside the bag or bin so no one can touch them and spread germs.

Why Use Project Firstline Interactive Resources?

You can help stop infections when you recognize the risk for germs to spread!

These interactive resources are a great way to refresh your infection control knowledge and skills.

Additionally, CDC Project Firstline offers short and easy to understand training modules that can help you earn continuing education credit.

We believe that you have the power to stop the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and protect vulnerable patients and communities, such as Latinos!

What Can You Do to Promote Infection Control in Your Healthcare Setting?

Help keep yourself, your colleagues, and your patients safe from infectious disease threats, such as COVID-19, by building on your infection control knowledge!

To show your dedication, sign this pledge to complete an infection control training or activity through CDC’s Project Firstline!

pLedge to take the training!

You can also share infection control training opportunities with healthcare colleagues via LinkedIn with our Project Firstline social media toolkit.

use the toolkit!

You can access more information about infection prevention and control in healthcare by visiting resources from CDC Project Firstline.

Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is working with the National Hispanic Medical Association to bring Project Firstline infection control educational content to healthcare workers, so they are equipped with the knowledge they need to protect themselves, their facilities, and their patients (Latinos and all communities) from infectious disease threats in healthcare settings.

Check out some of the articles from this partnership:

• What is Project Firstline?
• What is the Goal of Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Settings?
• What’s a Virus?
• What is Ventilation and Why Does It Matter?
• Contact Time: What is It and How Does it Impact Infection Control?
• The Surprising Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfection
• What’s a Respiratory Droplet and Why Does It Matter?
• We Need to Talk about Hand Hygiene Again
• Why are Gowns, Gloves, and Eye Protection Recommended for COVID-19?

Check out some of the Latino healthcare workers who are heroes for infection control:

• Anna Valdez: Tackling Infection Control with Education from Classroom to Clinic
• Wanda Montalvo: Preventing Infections in Community Health Centers, Latino Communities
• Ricardo Correa: Endocrinologist and Infection Control Leader for the Latino Community

Learn More about Project Firstline!

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a collaboration between Salud America!, the National Hispanic Medical Association, and the CDC’s Project Firstline. To find resources training materials, and other tools to bolster knowledge and practice of infection control, visit Project Firstline and view Salud America!’s infection control content.