Regional Hospital Decon Course Pilot at Reston Hospital

On September 19, 2023 NVERS provided the pilot offering of a regionally developed hospital decontamination course. The four (4)-hour class was held at Reston Hospital Center and featured instructors from NVERS staff, Reston Hospital Center, and the Inova Health System. Adapted from nationally-recognized hospital decontamination training and standards, the class included classroom instruction on personal protective equipment, patient decontamination procedures, and establishment of an emergency treatment area outside of the hospital. Following the classroom component, students practiced donning and doffing Level C PPE, decontaminated a simulated patient, and set up the facility's decontamination tent outside of the emergency department. Twelve (12) students successfully completed the training, increasing the hospital's cadre of staff who can perform emergency patient decontamination. The course will be refined and offered again in pilot form, and then shared with all of the region's hospitals for their further use and adaptation to their facilities. NVERS would like to thank Reston Hospital Center for serving as the first host site.