Baylor Nursing School To Offer Homeland Security Conference

by Judy Long

Disaster preparedness training will be offered through Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing on Friday, Oct. 3, with a conference, "Responding to Homeland Security: The Role of Health Care Providers." The one-day conference, also presented by the Baylor University Health Care System and Sigma Theta Tau, will run from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the Beasley Auditorium of Baylor Medical Center's Truett Hospital in Dallas.
The conference begins the "100th Anniversary Celebration of Nurses," commemorating 100 years of education at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing and will be held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary celebration of the Baylor Medical Center. The conference also will provide seven continuing nursing education credit hours.
Dallas County Medical Society President Robert Haley, who is chief of epidemiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, will deliver the keynote address on "Bioterrorism: History, Weapons, Early Detection, and Response."
Speakers include representatives of police, county department of health and medical doctors specializing in emergency care, critical care and others. Breakout sessions will cover a variety of topics, including "Preparing for the Probable and the Improbable," "Infectious Disease: Anthrax to SARS" and "The Profile of a Terrorist."
Dr. Beth Farren, a professor at the School of Nursing, said the program is timely because the country has recently experienced bio-terrorism and other attacks within its borders for the first time since the Civil War. "This training will prepare us for disasters of all kinds, whether a natural event or other unexpected incident. The public needs health care providers to be prepared for any disaster, and we want to be ready. Also, the Texas Legislature requires nurses to receive two hours of continuing education credit to renew their license," she said.
Farren said the conference will include training to respond to emotional and spiritual needs, such as anxiety in children resulting from a disaster.
General registration is $60 prior to the event and $65 at the door, with reduced rates for Baylor Health Care System employees, alumni and students. Parking for the conference will be free in the medical center's visitor lot.
For information about the conference and other celebration events, call the nursing school at (214) 820-3361.