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ABSTRACT
Due to the events of September 11, 2001 and the bioterrorism-related anthrax episodes, the United States has escalated efforts to better prepare the nation for terrorist attacks. Early recognition and management of a biological attack are largely dependent on the clinical expertise of frontline health care personnel. Nurses are recognized as an integral part of this team. Schools of nursing should integrate bioterrorism education into their curricula to address this growing frontier of health care management. This article outlines the necessary components of bioterrorism education for nurses, reviews examples of available resources to facilitate its inclusion, and suggests ways to integrate this material into nursing curricula.
Through several agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2003b), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (2003), and the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USARMIID) (2003), the United States has worked to improve the nation's capabilities to respond to terrorist acts. The events of September 11, 2001 and the bioterrorism-related anthrax episodes served as wakeup calls to the American government and the public at large that terrorism is a reality. These experiences escalated efforts to better prepare the country.
Bioterrorism is unique among forms of terrorism because it would make significant demands on the country's public health and health care systems. While it is anticipated that a chemical attack would also be burdensome, bioterrorism would impose an especially stressful load (Moodie, Ban, Manzi, & Powers, 2000). Even so, educational programs that review chemical and biological terrorism often emphasize chemical preparedness to the point that key components of bioterrorism readiness, such as early identification, are overshadowed.
The importance of advance planning, education, and organization is clear. The CDC (2001) recommends heightened surveillance for unusual disease trends or elevated numbers of illnesses that may be associated with terrorist attacks. Hospitals are urged to develop bioterrorism-readiness plans, using a template developed by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), in collaboration with the CDC (APIC & CDC, 1999). In addition, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) (2003) standards require accredited organizations to conduct emergency preparedness drills and education on an annual basis. Most accredited schools of nursing do not require this level of preparation.
Early recognition and...