e-Learning on Environmental Assessment of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Environmental Assessment of Foodborne Illness Outbreak button

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This e-Learning course provides training on how to use a systems approach in foodborne illness outbreak environmental assessments. Participants acquire in-depth skills and knowledge to

Investigate foodborne illness outbreaks as a member of a larger outbreak response team,
Identify an outbreak’s environmental causes, and
Recommend appropriate control measures.

Register for the e-Learning course athttps://ehseleafio.cdc.gov/

After you register for the e-Learning course, CDC will provide you a user account.

Before you start the course, you will take a pretest to assess your current knowledge. After the pretest, you can start the course on foodborne illness outbreak environmental assessment, which includes the following sections:

Screen shot from training module of simulated interview with food worker.

Virtual training exercise of simulated interview with food worker.

Your assignment
Overview of foodborne illness outbreak environmental assessments
Effective interviewing skills
Observation and record review
Sampling
Critical thinking skills
Organizing assessment information
Control strategies and concluding actions

The course is presented in the context of a simulated virtual environment where participants can interact and practice the skills being learned. The course can be completed in about 8-10 hours.

Already registered? Log on to the e-Learning course. Note: Persons with disabilities experiencing problems accessing the course should contact the Environmental Health Services Branch by email (NVEAIS@cdc.gov) or phone (770-488-3438; please ask for a 508 Accommodation for e-Learning).

Read the fact sheet

[PDF - 190 KB] on the e-Learning course.

Completion Certificates

Certificates of completion are awarded to all who successfully finish the course.

Continuing Education

Continuing education units (CEUs) are available free for this e-Learning course if it is passed within the first two attempts. CDC is approved as an authorized provider of CEUs by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102. CDC is authorized by IACET to offer 0.9 IACET CEUs for this program.

More About the e-Learning Course and NVEAIS

Refrigerator contents seen in a simulated environmental assessment of a restaurant facility.

CDC developed the National Voluntary Environmental Assessment Information System (NVEAIS) to collect environmental data from foodborne illness outbreak investigations. CDC highly recommends completing this e-Learning course before participating in NVEAIS; however, the course can be taken independently of NVEAIS.

Visit National Voluntary Environmental Assessment Information System (NVEAIS) for more information on the system.

Course Development

This national foodborne illness outbreak environmental assessment course was collaboratively developed by CDC with the help of its Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net) grantees, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. EHS-Net is a collaborative forum of local, state, and federal food program officials who work toward understanding the environmental causes of foodborne and waterborne disease.