CBRNE education and training for Polish health professionals: Where do we stand?

The primary role of the healthcare system and its cooperating entities is to ensure the health security of citizens and individuals residing in a given country. Over the past twenty years, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats have become an increasingly significant problem. This underscores the need to include this topic in the education and training of medical personnel. The aim of this article is to identify and analyze current gaps in the education and training of Polish healthcare workers regarding CBRNE threats. Based on a review of the literature, curriculum documents, and applicable educational standards, it has been demonstrated that the preparation of medical professionals to respond to CBRNE incidents is insufficient and requires systemic intervention. The article presents and analyzes the main areas of educational deficits regarding CBRNE, including a lack of awareness of the need for training, insufficient standardized training protocols, limited integration of modern didactic methods, and inadequate institutional preparation. The authors also present possible educational solutions in the field of CBRNE that could be implemented in Poland, as well as proposals for cooperation with the crisis management system. The conclusions drawn from the analysis point to the need to develop comprehensive educational programs to increase the readiness of medical personnel to respond to CBRNE threats. However, this area requires continuous monitoring and the implementation of regularly updated solutions.