EMS Biosafety Transport for Operators

EMS Biosafety Transport for Operators

Release Date: 11/04/2025

Expires: 11/03/2026

CID: 71020

The estimated time to complete this enduring material is 3.25 hours.

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION 

The course aims to increase understanding about standard and transmission-based infection control practices and provides education about high consequence infectious diseases like Mpox, Ebola Virus Disease, Smallpox, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), novel influenza viruses, like H5N1, and seasonal as well as pandemic influenza.

Education about these diseases, specifically the clinical course of the disease, the availability of medical countermeasures and appropriate infection control measures is essential for developing the competencies and the confidence to manage and transport patients suspected or confirmed to be infected with a high consequence infectious disease.

The course also describes operational considerations for management and transport of patients with high consequence infectious diseases, to include, selection of PPE, donning and doffing of PPE, modification of the ambulance, destination considerations, decontamination and disinfection of the ambulance and durable medical equipment, waste management and post-mission medical surveillance.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This activity is designed for EMS providers of all types/levels/certifications as well as any other clinical personnel including physicians, advanced practice providers, and nurses who are at risk for exposure to patients with high consequence infectious diseases.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this enduring material, the participants should be better able to:

• Discuss high consequence infectious diseases (smallpox, Mpox, SARS, MERS, Ebola, novel influenza) including standard and transmission-based infection control procedures. 
• Describe the health care team’s roles and responsibilities involving implementation of a hierarchy of controls to prevent inadvertent exposure to infectious bodily fluids through the use of appropriate PPE and implementation of infection prevention guidelines for ambulances. 
• Articulate processes required for safe management of wastes and post-mission health monitoring related to associated risks of exposures.  

ACCREDITED CONTINUING EDUCATION

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and NETEC. University of Nebraska Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

PHYSICIANS/PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS

The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NURSES/NURSE PRACTITIONERS

The University of Nebraska Medical Center designates this activity for 3.25 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should only claim credit for the actual time spent participating in the activity.

EMS

The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Center for Continuing Education, EMS and Trauma Division approves this educational opportunity for 3.25 hours of Emergency Medical Services Continuing Education. (Deb VonSeggern, NRP, EMSI)

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

In order to receive continuing education credit, you must complete these steps prior to the activity expiration date.

1. View all modules and materials associated with this course
2. Complete the post-test with a score of 70% or better
3. Complete the online evaluation
4. Submit the Completion Attestation  

DISCLOSURE INFORMATION

As a jointly accredited provider, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) ensures accuracy, balance, objectivity, independence, and scientific rigor in its educational activities and is committed to protecting learners from promotion, marketing, and commercial bias. Faculty (authors, presenters, speakers) are encouraged to provide a balanced view of therapeutic options by utilizing either generic names or other options available when utilizing trade names to ensure impartiality.

All faculty, planners, and others in a position to control continuing education content participating in a UNMC accredited activity are required to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. As defined by the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ineligible companies are organizations whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. The accredited provider is responsible for mitigating relevant financial relationships in accredited continuing education.  Disclosure of these commitments and/or relationships is included in these activity materials so that participants may formulate their own judgments in interpreting its content and evaluating its recommendations.

This activity may include presentations in which faculty may discuss off-label and/or investigational use of pharmaceuticals or instruments not yet FDA-approved. Participants should note that the use of products outside currently FDA-approved labeling should be considered experimental and are advised to consult current prescribing information for FDA-approved indications.

All materials are included with the permission of the faculty. The opinions expressed are those of the faculty and are not to be construed as those of UNMC. 

DISCLOSURES

The accredited provider has mitigated and is disclosing identified relevant financial relationships for the following faculty, planners, and others in control of content prior to assuming their roles: 

FACULTY

The below faculty have nothing to disclose:

• Alexander Isakov, MD, MPH*
• Wade Miles, NRP*
• Benjamin Tysor, NRP*

*faculty and planning committee member

PLANNING COMMITTEE

The below planning committee members have nothing to disclose:

• Cece Abbey-Webben, MS
• Britton Clark, MPH
• Valeta Creason-Wahl, CAPM, MMP
• Chimora Imonugo, MD, MPH
• Heidi Keeler, PhD, MSN/MBA, RN
• Benjamin Mattson, MS. Ed
• Jason Noble, BA, BFA
• Renee Paulin, DNP, MSN, RN, CWOCN
• Brenda Ram, CMP, CHCP
• Debbie Von Seggern-Johnson, NRP, EMSI

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  

Course materials were developed by the Emory Section of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, Grady EMS, and the Emory Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response with contributions from the Omaha Fire Department. 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT 

The dissemination of this program is funded by ASPR.