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Vaccine Administration by Paramedics: A Model for Bioterrorism and Disaster Response Preparation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Bruce J. Walz ,
Richard A. Bissell ,
Brian Maguire  and
James A. Judge II
Bruce J. Walz*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Richard A. Bissell
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Brian Maguire
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland USA
James A. Judge II
Affiliation:
Executive Director, Lake-Sumter EMS, Florida USA
*
Department of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250 USA, E-mail: walz@umbc.edu
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Abstract

The events of 11 September 2001 have had a profound effect on disaster planning efforts in the United States. This is true especially in the area of bioter-rorism. One of the major tenets of bioterrorism response is the vaccination of at-riskpopulations. This paper investigates the efficacy of training emergency medical services paramedics to administer vaccines in public health settings as preparation for and response to bioterrorism events and other disaster events.

The concept of vaccination administration by specially trained paramedics is not new. Various programs to provide immunizations for emergency services personnel and at-risk civilian populations have been reported.

Vaccination programs by paramedics should follow the guidelines of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thispaper compares the seven standards of the CDC guidelines to routine paramedic practice and education. It is concluded that paramedics are adequately trained to administer vaccines. However, specific training and protocols are needed in the areas of administrative paperwork and patient education. A proposed outline for a paramedic-training program is presented.

Keywords

bioterrorismdisasterdisaster response preparationemergency medical services (EMS)EMS education and trainingparamedicsmallpoxtrainingvaccinationvaccine
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 4 , December 2003 , pp. 321 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2003

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