The Development of an Active Learning Program for the Medical Responders in a Nuclear Disaster

In Japan, with the revision of the Nuclear Emergency Response Guidelines in 2015, nuclear emergency medical assistance teams responsible for the medical treatment in the acute phase of nuclear disaster have been developed nationwide. The purpose of this research is to develop active learning materials for the education of medical staff, to confirm the educational effect of the materials, and to identify the gaps in nuclear disaster risk reduction in Japan.

We established a working group and created active learning materials. We trained members of the nuclear emergency medical assistance team using the developed active learning materials and then conducted a questionnaire survey for trainees who participated in the training.

Regarding the developed teaching materials, out of 33 trainees, 33 (100%) answered "easy to understand" or "a little understandable" to the item dealing with how to use the radiation detectors and attaching/detaching personal protective equipment. Regarding the simulation about practicing hospital support and medical provision, 3 (8%) answered "a little confusing."

The study demonstrated that the developed materials have an educational effect. Additionally, the results of the trainee questionnaire showed the necessity for improvement in the triage system and new protocols to help both the patients and responders.