Community Teaching Work Plan Proposal

Community Teaching Work Plan Proposal
Planning and Topic
Bioterrorism/Disaster
Planning Before Teaching:
Name and Credentials of Teacher:
Estimated Time Teaching Will Last:
The RN to BSN programs usually takes
2-3 years.
Location of Teaching:
“Grand Canyon University”
Supplies, Material, Equipment Needed:
All supplies, materials and equipment
needed for RN to BSN program will be
supplied by the university. This
includes presentation slides, projectors,
black/ white boards, books related to
topic, etc.
Estimated Cost:
The Grand Canyon University provides
dynamic tuition fees depending on the
student’s qualification. The RN to BSN
program has an average per credit cost of $470.
Community and Target Aggregate: The community teaching work plan proposal is
targeted to a local fire department. The work plan proposal includes communicating
therapeutically with patients. The goal for this community teaching plan is to prepare the
fire department for Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) objectives.
Topic: The topic of the community teaching plan is Bioterrorism/ Disaster.
Identification of Focus for Community Teaching (Topic Selection):
Community teaching is an important teaching practice that should be followed by all and
schools, parents and the community must work together for health and well-being of everyone in
the community. Community teaching can be of any topic based on the necessity at that time
period. Biology lessons on smallpox and anthrax has been only a topic of discussion only in
biology classes and how worldwide campaigns can help to eradicate them. However, since

September 11, 2001, the tragic events in the United States has opened up a topic in the
community teaching on infectious diseases. Diseases like smallpox and anthrax are no longer
considered as rare and vanquished threats of public health and is now considered to be potential
weapons of terror used by outside people with malicious intent to harm the population of the
country. Due to this change in perspective, community teaching on the nature of diseases,
function of cells and other elemental concepts of biology is important to become aware and
prepared for such bioterrorism activities and the disasters that might follow (Venugopalan et al.,
2016). This is why, the focus of this community teaching plan is bioterrorism and disaster that
should be taught to a local fire department by the registered nurses in Grand Canyon University
under the RN to BSN program. Additionally, therapeutic communication is also a part of the
teaching plan so that the fire fighters are able to communicate and handle the victims and
patients in a real-life situation of bioterrorism.
Epidemiological Rationale for Topic (Statistics Related to Topic):
As the phrase says, familiarity lessens fear. That is why, making a community familiar with the
concepts of bioterrorism makes them aware of the consequences and prepared for resolving the
issues. However, lessening the fear can also be bad if it desensitizes people of the consequences
of violence. For this reason, appropriate education methods are required to make people
understand the rationale of bioterrorism. In the present worldwide scenario, the deliberate release
or threatening to release various biological agents like bacteria, viruses, fungi and other
microbial toxins for causing deaths and diseases to a human population is a huge possibility. This
is generally targeted towards normal citizens and also pressurize the government for promoting
their own personal agenda. The major step to prevent bioterrorism is the identification of such
an event in the first place through awareness, suspicion and high-quality surveillance system.
American Anthrax Outbreak of 2001
A deliberate spread of anthrax in the United States in September-November 2001 caused 5
deaths and almost 22 people were infected. Several preventive methods were launched liked
anthrax outbreak investigation, disease onset graphs, case histories and other epidemiologic
conclusions.
Epidemiologic Approach
The includes standard epidemiologic investigation consisting of laboratory and clinical evidence
to confirm the outbreak of a disease.
Epidemic Curve
The Epidemic curve is calculated by using collected data gathered from various cases overtime.
In a naturally occurring disease outbreak, the number of infected people gradually increases as
they are exposed to other infected individuals. However, when a large portion of the population
is exposed to the disease, they slowly become immune to it and the epidemic curve gradually
decreases again. However, in case of planned bioterrorism attack the epidemiological curve is
similar and hard to detect. The incubation period of diseases can be calculated from the time of
exposure of the infected people (Ryan, 2016). From this information, an intentional attack can be
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identified as incubation period is shorter in a deliberate attack due to high inoculum and effective
exposure route.
Epidemiologic Clues
As naturally occurring disease outbreaks has same curves as intentional attacks, other
characteristics should be considered to determine the type of outbreak. When combined together
the following clues help in determining whether the attack was intentional or not.
 Presence of more severe epidemic than normal estimation.
 Extreme cases of disease with unusual routes of exposure
 Unusual disease in a specific geographic region or outside of normal transmission season.
 Multiple diseases take the form of an epidemic simultaneously.
 Outbreak affecting both humans and animals.
 Intelligence gathering on spreading agents.
 Claims by terrorist organizations.
All this epidemiological rationale is necessary for the community teaching plan proposal.
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