NURS 5406 Operational Readiness: Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (MMCBC)
Knowledge of the extensive biological and chemical weapons programs in other countries and use of these weapons by terrorists both in the United States and abroad, have increased concern about the medical management of biological and chemical agent casualties. Military and civilian medical and public health professionals must become proficient in recognizing that a biological or chemical attack has occurred, activating the appropriate agencies and personnel to investigate the event, treating casualties, and preventing spread of disease. Classroom instruction, laboratory, and field exercises prepare graduates to effectively manage casualties of chemical and biological agent exposure. Classroom discussion builds upon previous physiology and pathophysiology content and includes the history and current threat of chemical and biological agent use, the characteristics of threat agents, the pathophysiology and treatment of agent exposure, and the principles of field management of threat agent casualties. In the field, attendees practice the principles of personal protection, triage, treatment, and decontamination of chemical casualties. Attendees also learn the capabilities and limitations of Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) when treating casualties in a contaminated environment. The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) jointly conduct this six-day course for Medical Corps and Nurse Corps officers as well as other selected medical professionals and both at Fort Detrick and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Students receive readiness content that is aligned with Federal and/or Military Health System needs while expanding knowledge and clinical skills as they work within inter-professional teams. Students build upon prior course work in trauma care management and explore new concepts regarding care of individuals exposed to chemical and biological agents in support of future domestic, austere, deployed, or humanitarian settings.