SBIR-STTR Award

This e-learning course for WMD/HAZMAT Protection Training (PROTECT) for Health Professionals performing as skilled support personnel (SSP) will be available on a 24/7/365 basis and provide much needed assistance in recognizing hazardous materials and understanding their effects, properly identifying items of protective equipment, gaining knowledge of how to don (put on) them correctly and how to perform essential roles and responsibilities in a hazardous environment while wearing protective equipment. The Phase I approach will focus on implementing the Instructional Systems Development (ISO) methodology in identifying and documenting specific training needs (requirements), developing appropriate learning objectives, designing the course to train these and developing a sample e-learning lesson to provide a tangible demonstration of the concept. PROTECT e-learning components will include a web portal, learning management system (LMS), instructional content (lesson materials) and intelligent tutor exercises. At the web portal, SSP will be able to access the PROTECT e-learning course through which they will gain the training necessary to protect themselves properly and still perform their duties effectively when responding to a WMD/ HAZMAT incident. Through the exercises the learner must apply the knowledge learned in the lessons to solve real-world problems he/she is likely to encounter. Public health and emergency response organizations are ready now to use effective training of this type for SSP and to augment their current internal training in the proper use of protective equipment. The relevance of this research to public health is simply that the more knowledge and better understanding SSP (identified as health professionals in this application) have of hazardous materials, protective equipment, its proper use and how to work effectively while wearing it the better they will be able to apply their skills, capabilities and resources beneficially in support of first responders during a WMD/HAZMAT incident.

Thesaurus Terms:
computer assisted instruction, computer system design /evaluation, disaster, educational resource design /development, emergency service /first responder, environmental protection, hazardous substance, health care personnel education, training Internet, allied health personnel, community health service, computer simulation, curriculum, emergency care, general practitioner, interactive multimedia, safety equipment

The proposed e-learning course for WMD/HAZMAT Protection Training (PROTECT) for Health Professionals performing as skilled support personnel (SSP) in community based medical offices / clinics / urgent care /schools and elsewhere will be available on a 24/7/365 basis and provide much needed assistance in recognizing the symptoms of Avian Influenza / Pandemic Influenza, properly protecting themselves against it, reporting it to the Incident Command System (ICS) when it occurs and following up that report in a coordinating role if so tasked. This includes understanding the hazards and effects, properly identifying items of protective equipment, gaining knowledge of how to don (put on) them correctly, how to perform essential roles and responsibilities while wearing protective equipment, hazards to be aware of when wearing it, how to properly doff and dispose of it and how to properly decontaminate oneself. The Phase II technical approach will focus on applying the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) methodology to the design, development, testing and evaluation of the prototype course. PROTECT e-learning components will include a web portal, learning management system (LMS), instructional content (lesson materials) and intelligent tutor exercises. At the web portal, SSP will be able to access the PROTECT e-learning course through which they will gain the training necessary to protect themselves properly and still perform their duties effectively when responding to a WMD / HAZMAT (Avian Flu / Pandemic Flu) incident. The course will be learner centered and instructional materials will focus on doing rather than telling. Through the exercises the learner must apply the knowledge learned in the lessons to solve real-world problems he/she is likely to encounter. Public health and emergency response organizations are ready now to use effective training of this type for SSP and to augment their current internal training in the proper use of protective equipment and interaction with the ICS.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
7. Project Narrative The relevance of this research to public health is simply that the more knowledge and better understanding SSP (identified as health professionals in this application) have of hazardous materials / diseases such as Avian Influenza, protective equipment, its proper use and how to work effectively while wearing it the better they will be able to apply their skills, capabilities and resources beneficially in support of first responders during a WMD / HAZMAT and / or Avian Influenza / Pandemic Influenza incident. They must also have knowledge of the Incident Command System and how to interact with it should they become involved in an incident that requires contact with ICS. This research and resulting course relate to both these needs which are currently severely under-trained among community health care workers.

Project Terms:
Active Follow-up; Area; Avian Influenza; Award; Bird Flu; Caring; Clinic; Communication; Communities; Community Healthcare; Community Workers; Computer Systems Development; Decontamination; Development; Development, Computer Systems; Disease; Disease Outbreaks; Disorder; Emergencies; Emergency Situation; Ensure; Environment; Equilibrium; Equipment; Equipment Hazard; Evaluation; Exercise; Exercise, Physical; Exhibits; Fowl Pest; Fowl Plague; Grant; HOSP; Hazardous Materials; Hazardous Substances; Health Care Professional; Health Care Providers; Health Care, Community; Health Personnel; Health Professional; Health profession; Healthcare Providers; Healthcare professional; Healthcare worker; Healthcares, Community; Hospitals; Hour; Human Resources; Influenza, Avian; Instruction; Internet; Jobs; Knowledge; Learning; Manpower; Marketing; Measures; Medical; Method LOINC Axis 6; Methodology; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Occupations; Outbreaks; Outcome; Output; Patients; Phase; Play; Preparation; Procedures; Professional Postions; Public Health; Reporting; Research; Research Resources; Resources; Role; SBIR; SBIRS (R43/44); Sales; Schools; Small Business Innovation Research; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Symptoms; System; System, LOINC Axis 4; Systems Development; TXT; Text; Training; Training Programs; Universities; WWW; Walking; Work; authority; avian flu; balance; balance function; base; combat; continuing medical education; cost effective; design; designing; disease/disorder; emergency service personnel; emergency service responder; emergency service/first responder; evaluation/testing; first responder; follow-up; hazard; health care personnel; health care worker; health provider; healthcare personnel; influenza in birds; medical personnel; medical schools; pandemic flu; pandemic influenza; personnel; prototype; public health emergency; public health medicine (field); response; skills; social role; stem; treatment provider; web; world wide web