Mount Sinai Health System in New York City launched a free, globally available virtual learning platform to help nurses treating COVID-19 patients improve their intensive care unit skillsets.
Mount Sinai partnered with Sana Labs on the platform, dubbed Project Florence. The health system created the virtual training platform's two-day curriculum, which includes resources and policies on ICU equipment and procedures from organizations such as the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Project Florence is free and available to hospitals and health systems across the world.
The initiative aims to reach nurses and other medical professionals who are assigned to treating COVID-19 patients and may need an update on ICU care. The U.S. currently has about 550,000 critical care nurses, however, tens of thousands will be in demand in the coming months due to COVID-19, according to the news release.
Users complete an artificial intelligence-powered assessment that measures their ICU knowledge and then recommends personalized content to help address individual skills gaps. Users can access Project Florence from smart phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.
"The profound shortage of intensive care nurses and respiratory therapists will be one of the most significant hurdles facing U.S. hospitals treating critically ill COVID-19 patients," said Jane Maksoud, RN, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Mount Sinai, according to the news release. "Project Florence will be a great benefit to staff preparing to care for critically ill patients."