MERET is a program designed to educate and train Minnesota's health care workers in emergency preparedness.

MERET's goal is to improve preparedness, response, and coordination among health-related disciplines and the various organizations and jurisdictions involved in health emergencies.

Over three years (September, 2005-August, 2008), MERET will train nearly 10,000 nurses, physicians, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, veterinarians, public health professionals, EMTs/paramedics, health care administrators and others who work at hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, health departments, and other agencies who may find themselves on the front lines during a health emergency or bioterrorism event.

Education and Training

MERET's training is tailored to

• build on readiness plans already in place,
• give consideration to demands on health workforce time,
• fit training to the needs of different communities,
• and incorporate the increasing diversity of our state.

MERET provides education and training in a variety of ways, including face-to-face trainings, interactive web-based courses, CD-ROMs, and through group events such as state meetings. CEU credits are available for all courses, and discipline-specific credits are available for some offerings.

Collaboration

MERET is a joint program of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and School of Public Health Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach (CPHEO). MERET works in tandem with the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Emergency Preparedness. We also partner with a number of organizations, committees, associations, clinics, and hospitals to provide training throughout the state of Minnesota. Finally, important leadership is provided by our broad-based Education Advisory Committee, including members from hospitals and clinics in greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area; professional groups (such as the Minnesota Hospital Association, the Minnesota Chapter of Association for Professionals in Infection Control (MN APIC), and the Local Public Health Association); the Minnesota Area Health Education Center (AHEC); the Minnesota Department of Public Safety; and various University of Minnesota departments and centers.

Minnesota Emergency Readiness Education and Training (MERET) was funded under grant #T01HP006412 from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), DHHS, Bioterrorism Training and Curriculum Development Program