Design and Development of Bioterrorism Response Education Programs

Issues related to bioterrorism, public health emergencies, and disasters have been brought to the forefront in the past few years. A small, competitive grant was the catalyst for the development of a new educational program using Web-based gaming and simulation for training in bioterrorism and public health emergency response for both health care students and professionals. Interactional activities reinforce learning from reputable internet links, and simulations assess the ability of participants to translate this new information into more appropriate action when faced with a scenario. The educational program is expected to enhance community preparedness while promoting teamwork, respect, and trust across disciplines. This article outlines the steps taken to design and develop a new bioterrorism educational training program to be implemented at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the fall of 2006.