Disaster preparedness education and a Midwest Regional Poison Center.
OBJECTIVE
To assess knowledge and comfort related to disaster preparedness and response gained and retained from a disaster medicine workshop given to Certified Specialists in Poison Information (CSPI).


METHODS
A pilot study with a pre-post intervention design.


METHODS
A Midwest Regional Poison Center.


METHODS
All CSPIs employed at the participating Poison Center (N = 27) were recruited. Participation ranged from 44 percent (n = 12) for the 4-month postworkshop knowledge quiz to 78 percent (n = 21) for the preworkshop survey.


METHODS
A disaster medicine workshop was given to the CSPIs. Quizzes and surveys were done preworkshop and then repeated at 1 week, 4 months, and 14 months postworkshop.


METHODS
CSPI knowledge and comfort pertaining to disaster-related calls.


RESULTS
CSPIs' comfort levels with calls regarding major chemical or nuclear/radiation disasters significantly increased and stayed elevated during all follow-up periods [Kruskal-Wallis chi2 (3) = 13.1, p = 0.01]. The average preworkshop quiz score was 58.2 percent. A statistically significant increase in mean quiz score was demonstrated amongst preworkshop and postworkshop scores at all tested time intervals (F = 18.8, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
CSPIs' knowledge regarding disaster management significantly increased after a disaster medicine workshop, and this knowledge was significantly retained for the 14-month duration of this study. Currently, there are no uniform guidelines for Poison Centers regarding disaster response training. Studies targeted at the development of educational competencies for CSPIs and disaster response would help to standardize this much needed education.
Lehman-Huskamp
Kathy
K
Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Saint Louis University, Missouri, USA.
Rebmann
Terri
T
Walter
Frank G
FG
Weber
Julie
J
Scalzo
Anthony
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004493:Education; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011361:Professional Competence; D055815:Young Adult