Identfying Early Childhood Educators’ Role in Infectious Disease Prevention: Assessing Educational Needs and Job Development

Children in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. Therefore, the role of early childhood educators (ECEs) is crucial for infectious disease prevention (IDP). This study aimed to define and analyze ECEs’ role in IDP using the Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) method and educational needs analysis. The DACUM analysis revealed seven key duties: Routine Monitoring, Environmental Management, Education and Guidance, Administrative Responsibility, Risk Management, Self-Development, and Medication Management. Routine Monitoring emerged as a critical duty involving continuous surveillance to detect early signs of infectious diseases, indicating its importance in maintaining overall health. Environmental Management highlighted measures for disinfection and securing the necessary consumables, whereas Education and Guidance focused on developing and implementing educational activities to prevent disease spread. Administrative Responsibilities are required to facilitate effective communication between the ECEs and children’s families. Risk Management ranked highly in the education needs analysis and involved responding to infectious disease outbreaks by planning appropriate play activities under restrictive conditions. Self-Development emphasized the need for ongoing learning to ensure continued IDP in pediatric patients. Lastly, Medication Management highlighted the challenges faced by ECEs in administering medications and the need for clear practice guidelines. Establishing an IDP framework based on these key duties enables ECEs to integrate educational and health priorities more effectively. This framework could serve as a foundation for training programs and policy development, supporting safer learning environments and promoting children’s health and development.