盡管近期一項調查顯示現在已經有越來越多的麻醉學住院醫師培訓項目包含了治療大規模殺傷性武器（weapons of mass destruction）受害者的必需培訓項目，但是所有培訓項目都應當提供大規模殺傷性武器的相關培訓。

在美國135個麻醉學住院醫師培訓項目中，有90個已經做出了積極響應。其中37％有正式的大規模殺傷性武器培訓項目，42％將其做為必需培訓項目。這些培訓項目集中在密西西比河東部，所有培訓項目都開始于2001年紐約911恐怖襲擊之后。2004年10月在美國拉斯維加斯舉行的美國麻醉醫師年會上公布了調查結果。

邁阿密大學麻醉學和內科學助理教授Keith A. Candiotti醫學博士進行了這項調查，他說：“盡管培訓麻醉學工作人員處理大規模殺傷性武器的項目明顯增加，由于現實的威脅，要在所有麻醉學項目中提供這種類型的培訓看起來仍然需要謹慎樂觀。”

在許多大規模傷亡處理模型中，從患者被送到醫院開始，就由麻醉科工作人員負責處理。而如果醫院沒有一個健全的患者-處理系統來確保對患者進行消除污染處理，或者沒有防護服，醫護人員就將直接暴露于毒性物質的威脅之下。

Candiotte博士說：“即使這種恐怖事件相當罕見，但是一旦真的發生了，這些事件能夠迅速摧毀現有的醫療設施。如果沒有充分準備，醫療工作者將成為大規模殺傷性武器的犧牲品。為了做好充分準備，相關教育和培訓是十分必要的。”根據Candiotti博士的說法，理想的大規模殺傷性武器擴大培訓項目清單包括：患者-處理方案、配備沖淋設施的消毒隔離區、配備呼吸設備的化學防護服、以及儲備足夠數量的治療大規模殺傷性武器損傷的抗生素和藥物。

WMD Training Urged for All Anesthesiologists

Although a recent poll has shown that more anesthesiology residency programs now have mandatory training in treating victims of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), all programs are being urged to offer WMD training.

Of the 135 anesthesiology residency programs in the United States, 90 responded. Of these, 37% had a formal WMD training program and 42% of those made the training mandatory. The training programs were concentrated east of the Mississippi River, and all programs began their training after the terrorist attack on New York on September 11, 2001. The findings of the poll were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Las Vegas (NV, USA) in October 2004.

“While there has been a marked increase in the training of anesthesiology personnel to deal with WMD, due to the apparent threat, it seems prudent to have this type of training available in all anesthesiology programs,?stated Keith A. Candiotti, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology and internal medicine, University of Miami (FL, USA), who conducted the poll.

In many models of mass casualty management, anesthesia personnel are responsible for treating patients immediately on arrival at the hospital. If the hospital does not have a patient-management system that ensures decontamination or protective gear for doctors to wear, they can be exposed to toxic substances.

“Even though such terrorist events are rare, when they do occur they can rapidly overwhelm the existing medical services,?noted Dr. Candiotti. Healthcare workers may fall victim to WMD if they are not adequately prepared. For better preparation, improvements in education and training are needed.?The ideal checklist for expanding WMD programs includes a patient-management program, a decontamination area with shower facilities, chemical protective gear with a breathing device, and a stockpile of antibiotics and medications to treat WMD exposure, according to Dr. Candiotti.