BIOLOGIC, CHEMICAL, AND RADIATION TERRORISM REVIEW

Course overview

TERRORISM IS THE INTENTIONAL USE OF INDISCRIMINATE VIOLENCE TO CREATE FEAR AND TERROR AS A MEANS TO ACHIEVE AN IDEOLOGICAL, FINANCIAL, RELIGIOUS, OR POLITICAL AIM. IT IS OFTEN USED AGAINST NON-COMBATANT TARGETS. TERROR TACTICS MAY INCLUDE BIOLOGIC, CHEMICAL, NUCLEAR, OR EXPLOSIVE EVENTS. TERRORISM IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE USE OF FORCE OR VIOLENCE OUTSIDE THE LAW TO CREATE FEAR AMONG CITIZENS WITH THE INTENT TO COERCE SOME SORT OF ACTION. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SHOULD BE AWARE BIOTERRORISM IS A PERFECT VEHICLE FOR TERRORISTS TO STRIKE FEAR INTO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF CITIZENS IN THE HOPES THEY WILL BEND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THEIR AGENDAS. ALL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC EVENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE TYPES, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF BIOLOGIC, CHEMICAL, AND RADIATION TERRORISM AND DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING CATASTROPHIC EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM.