Bowling Green, Ohio— Wood County Health Department, in partnership with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and the Hancock Public Health, has successfully completed a series of innovative infection control trainings in healthcare facilities throughout Northwest Ohio. This initiative has been supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Project Firstline and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Together, the three health departments worked to:

• Assess infection prevention and control (IPC) needs across healthcare facilities in Northwest Ohio.
• Develop and maintain sustainable educational resources, including toolkits, brief trainings, and hand hygiene training kits (GloGerm/Glitterbug).
• Strengthen staff confidence by enhancing IPC knowledge and skills for clinical, environmental services, and dietary staff.
  • Key topics included hand hygiene, transmission-based precautions, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, and food safety.
• Clarify disease reporting requirements and emphasize the importance of timely notification to public health.

The training series was designed to equip healthcare workers with critical knowledge and skills in infectious disease control. To increase engagement and retention, the sessions incorporated interactive learning strategies—including escape room activities where staff solved real-world infection control scenarios. This hands-on method allowed participants to immediately apply lessons and strengthen their problem-solving skills in a collaborative, memorable way.

On August 7, Wood County Health Department facilitated one of the Project Firstline trainings at Wood County Hospital in Bowling Green Ohio. Ashleigh Konopka, epidemiologist and lead organizer on the project, provided an overview on infection control including how to report diseases to the health department, what diseases require reporting, and proper control measures in healthcare settings. Following the presentation, hospital staff were invited to apply their knowledge in a “C. difficile Escape Room” that was set up in an empty patient room.

“Healthcare workers are the backbone of patient safety,” said Ashleigh Konopka. “Through these trainings and partnerships, we are making infection control education more practical, accessible and impactful for those serving some of our most vulnerable populations.”

Early feedback shows participants found the interactive format both educational and enjoyable, with many reporting greater confidence in applying infection control principles in their daily work.

Wood County Hospital’s Infection Preventionist, Katie Tipton, MSN, RN, praised Project Firstline training, saying, “Frontline healthcare workers receive excellent training on infectious disease prevention and control frequently. Though because we discuss these concepts so often, we are always looking for interactive ways to present these trainings and education so we can keep the topics fresh. It can be time consuming to always be recreating training sessions. Having the opportunity to partner with Ashleigh at Wood County Health Department on Project Firstline trainings allowed our teams to explore some exciting new training styles, without having to pull key department leaders away from other important tasks to develop the training materials. This collaboration will certainly help keep patients, employees and the community safe.”

At the completion of the grant, thirteen trainings were completed in seven different healthcare facilities including: Wood County Hospital, Mercy Perrysburg Hospital, Three Meadows Post-Acute Care, St. Clare Commons, Manor at Perrysburg, Wood Haven and Bowling Green Manor. Participants included staff working in clinical settings, environmental services, dietary and administration. Because of the commitment from these facilities, over 1,000 patients and long-term residents will benefit from the impact of this training. Additionally, materials for providers and healthcare workers have been created by the health department:

Education Packets
Education Packet – Blood
Education Packet – Cough and Congestion
Education Packet – Rash
Education Packet – Diarrhea
Education Packet – Measles
Education Packet – Wounds

Microlearns:
Microlearns – Wounds
Microlearns – Blood
Microlearns – Cough & Congestion
Microlearns – Measles
Microlearns – Diarrhea
Microlearns – Rash

More materials to come!

This effort builds on the broader Project Firstline mission: ensuring every healthcare worker—regardless of role or educational background—has access to the infection control training they need to protect themselves, their patients, and their communities.

Wood County Health Department, along with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and Hancock Public Health, will continue to explore ways to offer innovative trainings and engage healthcare workers across the region.

For more information about Project Firstline, visit https://www.cdc.gov/health-equity/in-action/project-firstline.html.

The mission of Wood County Health Department is to prevent disease, promote healthy lifestyles and protect the health of everyone in Wood County. Our Community Health Center provides comprehensive primary medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services for people of all ages. We welcome all patients, including uninsured or underinsured clients, regardless of their ability to pay, and we accept most third-party insurance. For more information, visit woodcountyhealth.org.