Curriculum and Faculty
Curriculum planning was based on federal and state advisement.
The training needs of targeted Kansas health professionals were determined through a statewide needs assessment. A total of 26 focus groups were conducted and input from these sessions laid the ground work for the curriculum courses, training methodologies, and reference materials.
The four federal core competencies of anti-terror training guided development of course objectives:
- recognition of a terrorist event, or other public health emergency,
- meeting the acute care needs of patients, including pediatric patients and vulnerable populations in a safe and appropriate manner,
- rapidly and effectively alerting the public health system at the community, state and national levels during a terrorist event, and
- participating in a coordinated, multidisciplinary response.
A summary of curriculum topics for the first program year were:
Agroterror
Curriculum: Bioterrorism Implications for Kansas’ Agriculture and Health Infrastructures
Faculty:
Jerry Jaax, DVM, Associate Vice-Provost for Research Compliance and University Veterinarian, Kansas-State University
Bioterror
Curriculum: Biologic Warfare, Terrorism and Emerging Infections: the Clinical Perspective
Faculty:
Daniel Hinthorn, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine & Director Division of Infectious Disease, KU Medical Center
Garold Minns, MD, Professor & Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, KU School of Medicine, Wichita
Wallace Weber, MD, Heartland Dermatology Center, Hays, KS
Chemical
Curriculum: Medical Management of Chemical Casualties
Faculty:
Thomas Clements, MD, MPH, Retired Senior Medical Epidemiologist & Special Projects Medical Officer, Kansas Department of Health & Environment
Hospital
Curriculum: Hospital's Leadership Role in Response to Disasters Involving Nuclear, Biological & Chemical (NBC) Weapons
Faculty:
Ruth Schukman-Dakotas, Director Safety Office, KU Medical Center
Infection Control
Curriculum: Responding to Bioterrorism: What Nurses Need to Know
Faculty:
Nina Shik, RN, MSN, CIC, Infection Control Coordinator, KU Hospital
Laboratory
Curriculum: Response to Bioterrorism: The Role of the Clinical Laboratory
Faculty:
Rebecca Horvat, PhD, Associate Professor Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Director Microbiology Lab, The University of Kansas Hospital
Pat Hargrave, PhD, Assistant Professor Clinical Laboratory Science, KU Medical Center
MMRS
Curriculum: The Role of Emergency Response in a Terrorist Incident
Faculty:
Michael Davis, Director, Unified Government Office of Emergency Management, Kansas City, KS
Gloria Vermie, RN, MPH, MMRS Coordinator, Health Surveillance and Disease Prevention, Sedgwick County Health Department, Wichita, KS
Pharmacy
Curriculum: Legal Aspects of Public Health Law for Pharmacists
Faculty:
Barbara Woods, MA, RPh, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director Pharmacy continuing Education University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
Marvin Stottlemire, PhD, JD, Assistant Director, Public Management Center, Continuing Education, University of Kansas
Scott Koertner, Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Radiation
Curriculum: Basic of Preparedness for Radiological Disasters
Faculty:
David Preston, MD, Advisor, Kansas Radiation Regulatory Committee & Professor Emeritus Nuclear Medicine, KU Medical Center
Reporting
Curriculum: Bioterrorism and Public Health
Faculty:
Gianfranco Pezzino, MD, MPH
For the second program year, the following topics have been added to the curriculum:
- international terrorism post 9/11
- communicating with the media
- emerging infections
- new alliances between law enforcement and agroterror
- mental health and terrorism, the Kansas public health emergency response plan
- roles and responsibilities of responders to disasters for emergency management, EMS, fire service, law enforcement, public health, hospital ER, laboratories, pharmacies, and the military
- hospital surge capacity
Portable reference materials developed by the Centers for the Study of Bioterrorism & Emerging Infections at St. Louis University School of Public Health are distributed at each event.
Multi-disciplinary continuing education credit is awarded for every presentation.
This program is made possible by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions Bioterrorism Training and Curriculum Development Program P. L. 107-188, Section 105