Integrating Plan Writing and Preparedness Exercises with

Academic Learning

Thomas Mauro Jr., MA, MEP• NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

• Wagner College• St. John’s University

Dorothy Miller, MA, MEPFoundation for Higher Education Accreditation

Epsilon Pi Phi Honor Society

Hospital Nurses• Terrorist events and natural disasters

mean preparation

• Review hospital disaster plans

• Develop strategies to cope with the effects of weapons of mass destruction, in their workplaces and at home.

“Disaster Preparedness for Registered Nurses” Course

• Wagner College, Evelyn Spiro School of Nursing• Curriculum includes:

– the effects of biological, chemical, and radiological weapons of mass destruction and their impact on hospital operations

– plan development – developing an emergency preparedness plan for their

home– Reviewing the Mass Fatality Plan for their hospital

The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)

• HSEEP guides governmental organizations in developing appropriate levels of preparedness exercises– seminars, workshops, table-tops, drills,

functional exercises, and full-scale exercises

Building Blocks Approachto Exercise Development

Exercise Phases

Integrating HSEEP with Academics

• Benefits:– Students gain knowledge of plan writing and

real-world knowledge of testing, evaluating, and amending plans

– Informs students of the existence of plans in the workplace

– Prepares students to participate in exercise and training activities in at work

Applying Exercise Phases in Classroom

1. Seminar on plan writing

2. Seminar on Weapons of Mass Destruction

3. Facilitate workshop with students as players for Emergency Preparedness Plan development

4. Students Develop plan

5. Facilitate a Table-top exercise to test the plans

6. Students amend plans and submit for grading

Student Evaluations

• “Liked group discussions”

• “Assignment forced [them] to write a plan that [they] would not have written”

• “Using realistic scenario made [them] aware of the need for planning ahead

• “Severity of events presented gave an understanding of larger issues for hospitals”