Training needs of pediatricians facing the environmental health and bioterrorism consequences of September 11th (original) (raw)
The Pediatrician and Disaster Preparedness
PEDIATRICS, 2006
Recent natural disasters and events of terrorism and war have heightened society's recognition of the need for emergency preparedness. In addition to the unique pediatric issues involved in general emergency preparedness, several additional issues related to terrorism preparedness must be considered, including the unique vulnerabilities of children to various agents as well as the limited availability of age- and weight-appropriate antidotes and treatments. Although children may respond more rapidly to therapeutic intervention, they are at the same time more susceptible to various agents and conditions and more likely to deteriorate if not monitored carefully. The challenge of dealing with the threat of terrorism, natural disasters, and public health emergencies in the United States is daunting not only for disaster planners but also for our medical system and health professionals of all types, including pediatricians. As part of the network of health responders, pediatricians n...
Creating a Regional Pediatric Medical Disaster Preparedness Network: Imperative and Issues
Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2006
Over the past few decades, the number of disasters, both natural and human initiated has increased. As a result, since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, there has been a new emphasis on disaster preparedness. However, the preparedness emphasis has been primarily directed toward adults and little attention has been specifically given to the needs of children.
Bioterrorism: Evaluating the preparedness of pediatricians in Michigan
Pediatric emergency care
There is a paucity of literature in the United States regarding preparedness for a bioterrorist attack on children. The main objective of this study was to assess the self-reported level of bioterrorism preparedness of pediatricians practicing in Michigan. We conducted a survey that was mailed to 1000 pediatricians practicing in Michigan from July through December 2006. Survey questions were designed to evaluate the overall level of preparedness, as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, in dealing with a possible biological event and to describe key demographic variables. Of the 590 pediatricians who responded (59%), a majority (80%) were general pediatricians, whereas 20% were pediatric subspecialists. Sixty percent of responders believe terrorism is a threat, with biological agents (52%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 48.00-56.12) as the most likely cause of an event. Half of the pediatricians who responded had a workplace disaster plan, but only 12% feel their preparednes...
Emergency Department Staff Preparedness for Mass Casualty Events Involving Children
Disaster Management & Response, 2007
Background: In recent years, the World Health Organization in general, and Israel in particular, have dealt with mass casualty events (MCEs) resulting from terrorism. Children are the casualties in many of these eventsda reality that forces hospitals to prepare to deal with such a scenario. A literature review designed to identify unique recommendations regarding pediatric MCEs highlights both a lack of existing training programs and uncertainty on the part of health care staff when dealing with these events. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine the preparedness level of emergency department staff to deal with MCEs involving pediatric casualties. The study included 104 physicians and nurses working in, or responding to, the emergency department at a hospital in Israel. The study included a 41-item questionnaire examining perception, approaches, and staff knowledge regarding dealing with pediatric MCEs versus those involving adults. The reliability of all sections of the questionnaire ranged between Chronbach's a coefficient 0.6 a-0.94. The preparedness levels for MCEs involving children were found to be low. Study participants ranked the likelihood of a pediatric MCE lower than one involving adults, while ranking significantly higher (P = .000) their ability to cope mentally and the knowledge and skills required when treating adults involved in MCEs. While nurses ranked higher than physicians regarding their knowledge and skills in dealing with pediatric MCE casualties, the level of knowledge for MCEs involving children was low in all subjects. Staff agreement for the parent of an MCE victim to be present during treatment was medium-low. Implications: On the basis of these findings, additional research involving a larger number of individuals and hospitals is indicated to determine if these results are consistent throughout the region. M ass casualty events (MCEs) may result from the forces of nature, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, and the disruptive acts of humankind in the form of terrorist acts. The frequency of terrorist acts is high worldwide and is particularly high in Israel, a fact that forces health systems to prepare themselves for the difficult and prolonged task of coping with MCEs. Although acts of terror affect all age groups of the civilian population, some of them focus only on harming children. In light of MCEs involving children in Israel and around the world, there is a growing need to prepare for events exclusively involving pediatric victims. Children are not little adults. Their physical, emotional, and social development is different, they are far more exposed and vulnerable, and their coping abilities and needs in times of crisis are not the same. It is for this reason that children require treatment tailored to meet their needs.
Southeastern Regional Pediatric Disaster Surge Network: A Public Health Partnership
2010
In the event of a natural or man-made disaster involving large numbers of children, resources in the Southeastern U.S. are extremely limited. This article chronicles the efforts of the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and the South Central Center for Public Health Preparedness in conjunction with more than 40 organizations to develop a voluntary network of health-care providers, public health departments, volunteers, and emergency responders from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The purpose of the Southeastern Regional Pediatric Disaster Surge Network (the Network) is to improve the pediatric preparedness response strategies of public health, emergency response, and pediatric providers in the event of large-scale emergencies or disasters that overwhelm local or state pediatric resources.
Australasian Journal of Paramedicine, 2004
This issues paper is the result of an initiative launched by WADEM during the 13th WCDEM in Melbourne 2003. It is being concurrently published on the WADEM website at and in JEPHC. A short version is also available on the WADEM website and also published in WADEM's journal "Prehospital and Disaster Medicine" Volume 19, No. 2, 2004. Writing Team, on behalf of the Working Group: Dr. Geert Seynaeve (Belgium) -Chair A/Prof. Frank Archer (Australia) -Editor of Issues Paper Dr. Judith Fisher (UK/USA) A/Prof Brigitte Lueger-Schuster (Austria) Dr. Alison Rowlands (UK) Mr Phillip Sellwood (UK) Dr. Karel Vandevelde (Belgium) Dr. Anastasia Zigoura (Greece) WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP 30 th July, 2004 International Standards and Guidelines on Education and Training for the Multi-disciplinary Health Response to Major Events which Threaten the Health Status of a Community Invitation The 13 th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, held in Melbourne, Australia, in May 2003, requested the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) to lead the development of "International Standards and Guidelines on Education and Training for "Disaster Medicine". This Paper has been developed by a Working Group of the WADEM Education Committee (the Working Group) in response to that request from the international "Disaster Medicine" and emergency health community. The Working Group recognises that the definition of "Disaster Medicine" is dynamic and currently lacks international consensus. For the purposes of this Paper, "Disaster Medicine" should be interpreted in a generic and inclusive sense. The contemporary view is that of a multi-disciplinary health response to major events which threaten the health status of a community, including the prevention and mitigation of future events, and taking account of the broader context in which these events occur. On behalf of the Working Group, we invite you, as a member of the "Disaster Medicine" and emergency health community, to participate in the following international consultation to consider issues of education and training in "Disaster Medicine" and major incident management. The first stage of this process is that we would like you to respond with comments, to the issues raised in the attached paper, in the format and timeframe as outlined below: • Name and title, institution and position of principal respondent • Contact details of principal respondent -email, normal mail, phone,