Nursing bioterrorism preparedness

Bioterronsm preparedness has become essential for many healthcare professionals, including nurses. Nurses play a critical role in bioterrorism preparedness efforts because they will be at the forefront in patient management. Despite this, little is known about nurses' bioterrorism preparedness. The aim of this dissertation was to explore issues associated with nurses' roles in bioterrorism preparedness efforts. The objectives were to develop a theoretical definition of nursing bioterrorism preparedness, create a patient management algorithm for a bioterrorism attack using an airborne-spread agent, and evaluate health belief model constructs in relation to nurses' bioterrorism preparedness. A concept analysis was used to delineate nursing's unique role in bioterrorism preparedness, identify essential constructs that contribute to nurses becoming better prepared to recognize and respond to a bioterrorism attack, and provide a definition that allows concept measurement. Nursing bioterrorism preparedness is the process of nurses becoming better prepared to recognize and respond to a bioterrorism attack and the extent to which nurses engage in this process. A systematic literature review was used to develop a state-of-the-science paper that summarizes appropriate patient placement and infection control strategies to be implemented in response to a bioterrorism attack using an airborne-spread agent. A secondary data analysis of a national bioterrorism needs assessment survey of infection control and public health professionals conducted after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, was used to examine the relationship between nurses' bioterrorism preparedness and the health belief model. Two health belief model constructs (risk perception and barriers) were found to influence or explain nurses' participation in bioterrorism preparedness initiatives. Future research should include the following: (a) examination of nurses' bioterrorism knowledge and response plan components contingent on nursing bioterrorism preparedness, (b) evaluation of the current numbers of negative pressure rooms available in U.S. hospitals, the total available occupancy, and the percentage of those that meet the functional standard, (c) examination of cost effective approaches to development of large negative pressure areas that can be mobilized rapidly after a bioterrorism attack or infectious disease outbreak, and (d) development and psychometric testing of an instrument that more accurately measures all health belief model constructs.