Bioterorism—are you ready for the silent killer? - Home Study Program

AORN Journal,  Sept, 2002  by Kristina Stillsmoking

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

The article "Bioterrorism--Are you ready for the silent killer?" is the basis for this AORN Journal independent study. The behavioral objectives and examination for this program were prepared by Rebecca Holm, RN, MSN, CNOR, clinical editor, with consultation from Susan Bakewell, RN, MS, education program professional, Center for Perioperative Education.

A minimum score of 70% on the multiple-choice examination is necessary to earn 2 contact hours for this independent study. Participants receive feedback on incorrect answers. Each applicant who successfully completes this study will receive a certificate of completion. The deadline for submitting this study is Sept 30, 2005.

Send the completed application form, multiple-choice examination, learner evaluation, and appropriate fee to

AORN Customer Service
c/o Home Study Program
2170 S Parker Rd, Suite 300
Denver, CO 80231-5711

or fax the information with a credit card number to (303) 750-3212.

BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES

After reading and studying the article on bioterrorism, the nurse will be able to

(1) define bioterrorism,

(2) describe our historical reaction to bioterrorist attacks,

(3) discuss the routes of exposure for the major biological agents of greatest concern, and

(4) describe correct management of a biological crisis.

This program meets criteria for CNOR and CRNFA recertification, as well as other continuing education requirements.

Bioterrorism can be defined as the use of a microorganism to kill or harm an enemy or a population of people, food, or livestock by whatever means necessary to demoralize, intimidate, or conquer. (1) A bioterrorism attack is an insidious and often unnoticed event, so health care workers need to be alert to its characteristics. Bioterrorism attacks in the United States no longer are a matter of if; they are a matter of when. Recent events have determined that the "when" is happening now, but being educated about bioterrorism can help alleviate the impact of a crisis.

Dennis O'Leary, president of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, believes that more health care workers must be trained to become familiar with pathogens that may be used during bioterrorism attacks, aware of the symptoms they produce, and alert to the possibility of their use? The United States is not unprepared for bioterrorism, but US health care workers could be better prepared than they are today. Health care in the United States is entering an era when caregivers need to reexamine policies on emergency preparedness.

The recent attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as the anthrax threats that followed, transformed US citizens' perceptions of how safe they are and left them confused and frightened. Perioperative nurses, as the keepers of asepsis, need to become more involved in helping those around them understand the nature of bioterrorism and how to prevent the spread of disease if an attack should occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has emphasized that the health care profession needs to be prepared for this eventuality.

Many perioperative nurses have heard or read reports about what the different microbes that could be involved in a bioterrorism attack can do. Some have buried their heads in the sand and others are afraid of what these biological agents can do, but early intervention and statements by technical experts (eg, perioperatiye nurses) and political leaders can help defuse public feelings of confusion and fear and lead citizens to appropriate behaviors. Perioperative nurses provide a composed facade every day as they work to calm and protect surgical patients. They know what havoc fear and confusion can play in a surgical patient's recovery and survival. In addition, perioperative nurses represent a nursing specialty that constantly is looked upon by the world as providing the gold standard of asepsis. To provide patients and their family members with appropriate information, however, perioperative nurses need to understand the mechanics of bioterrorism, its history, and the delivery and routes of exposure of biological agents. By understanding the disease process, treatments available, and how to counter the impact of exposure, caregivers can avert panic and confusion.

THE HISTORY OF BIOTERRORISM

The history of biological warfare is varied. For example, the ancient Romans contaminated the water supplies of their enemies, and in 1346, the Tartars catapulted bodies infected with bubonic plague over the walls of the besieged city of Kaffa. (3) In the eighteenth century, British officials sent smallpox-contaminated blankets to Native Americans in the hopes of lessening their numbers. (4) During the 1930s and 1940s, military organizations in Japan, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union developed the technology to produce weapons of mass destruction, and they conducted a variety of experiments on humans and animals. During the 1940s and up until the 1970s, the United States also developed weapons of mass destruction to counter the Japanese, British, German, and Soviet development. The United States began developing vaccines, personal protective equipment (PPE), decontamination procedures, and antibiotics for use in counterterrorism.