Mass Casualty: Chemical Agents- 4CH

Course overview

Target audience Nurses in every setting should be prepared to safeguard the public and their patients in the event of a chemical disaster. Nurses in rural or urban centers should be aware of hazards and emergency responses. Course overview This course describes the scope of chemical disaster events that may create mass casualties and the role of nurses and others in preparedness, immediate response and recovery efforts to reduce injuries and loss of life. Chemical disaster events may range from an isolated poisoning situation to a wide-spread terrorist attack involving chemicals. The course provides descriptions of priorities and preparedness for mass casualty situations and chemical disasters affecting specific clinical practice areas. Learning objectives -Define chemical mass casualty event terminology. -Explain the roles of responders in the incident command system. -Identify specific risks, symptoms and consequences associated with specific chemical exposures. -Identify the responsibilities of federal and state agencies in chemical events. -Describe the importance and procedures of decontamination in a chemical event. -Examine the all-hazard risk appraisal for chemical exposure. -Describe the considerations for triage and movement of chemical casualties. -Describe confounding factors in mass casualty chemical disasters. -Review the competencies for chemical disaster nursing. -List resources for further information on chemical mass casualty care.