Summary:
With the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent anthrax attacks, Americans realized that terrorists have the capability to strike anywhere. No longer could we look at terrorism in other countries and feel confident that it wouldn’t happen here in our own country. With this new reality came the recognition that we as healthcare workers need to know about the pathogens that are most likely to be used in a future attack and how best to respond if another attack ever occurs. This course provides a brief history of bioterrorism and identifies the six agents or classes of agents most likely to be used as weapons: anthrax, smallpox, pneumonic plague, botulinum toxin, tularemia and viral hemorrhagic fevers. Familiarity with these agents will help healthcare workers recognize the features that can be used to distinguish an attack from a naturally occurring disease.
Objectives:
The purpose of this program is to inform healthcare practitioners about the history, epidemiology, diagnoses, and treatment of the infectious agents most likely to be used in a bioterrorism attack. After studying the information presented here, you will be able to —
- Discuss biological weapon use in the United States.
- Identify potential bioterrorist agents and describe methods for dissemination.
- Describe how to recognize bioterrorism, the initial patient assessment, and the isolation precautions and decontamination procedures used for each agent.
- Discuss anthrax and smallpox, including the signs and symptoms and treatment options.
- Discuss additional agents: botulism, plague, tularemia, and the viral hemorrhagic fever viruses, including the signs and symptoms and treatment options.
- Describe prophylaxis for the diseases.
Approval Information
This CE course is approved for respiratory therapists from 1/10/2012 to 1/10/2014.
This program has been approved for 5 contact hours of Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE) credit by the American Association for Respiratory Care, 9425 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063. AARC Sponsor ID: 9514012. This is a non-traditional course.
If you are a respiratory therapist, remember to give us your AARC member number when filling out your license number information.
Gannett Education is also approved by the Florida Board of Respiratory Care (provider #FBN 50-1489).