Report reviews methods of training for bioterrorism events - Brief Article

AORN Journal,  May, 2002  

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A report sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reviews 60 studies on the most and least effective strategies for training health care workers in bioterrorism preparedness, according to a Feb 13, 2002, news release from the agency. Training of Clinicians for Public Health Events Relevant to Bioterrorism Preparedness evaluates models such as infectious disease outbreaks and hospital disaster drill training for their effectiveness in helping health care workers prepare for a bioterrorism event.

Hospital disaster drill training appears to be beneficial in improving health care professionals' knowledge of the disaster plan and helping them identify problems with its execution; however, few studies have been performed on this type of training, which makes it difficult for researchers to determine whether this method is effective for bioterrorism preparedness training. According to the release, few bioterrorism preparedness training programs have been evaluated rigorously.

Teleconferences and satellite teleconferences are effective methods of teaching bioterrorism preparedness to large numbers of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. These methods also provide a way to standardize training for geographically diverse groups.

The report provides a framework for developing evidence-based educational programs and is designed to help health care managers select educational strategies for personnel likely to be involved in caring for victims of a bioterrorism attack. This is part of AHRQ's bioterrorism research portfolio, which includes research projects to examine the clinical training and ability of frontline medical personnel to detect and respond to a bioterrorism event.

New Report Outlines Effective Strategies for Training Clinicians to Deal With Potential Bioterrorist Threats (news release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Feb 13, 2002) http://www.ahrq.org/news/press/pr2002/biojhupr.htm (accessed 21 Feb 2002).

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