AHRQ Issues Report on IPC for EMS and 911 Workforce

The Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) completed an evidence review on Infection Prevention and Control for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and 911 Workforce. APIC provided input to this study. Key findings include:

• Emergency medical service (EMS) workers appear to be at higher risk of infection when compared to firefighters and other frontline emergency personnel.
• Research into the field effectiveness of N95 respirator and surgical face mask personal protective equipment (PPE) is limited, especially in the arena of airborne diseases.
• Regular hand hygiene decreases the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• Mandatory influenza vaccine programs increase the likelihood of vaccine uptake.