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Qualifications of Staff Answering Poison

Center Calls

Medical experts (doctors, pharmacists, and nurses) with specialized training in

the recognition and management of poisonings/overdoses from drugs, toxins,
venoms, chemicals, plants/mushrooms, radiation, and other substances

Certified Specialists in Poison Information
(CSPIs), have extensive experience and
training in the area of toxicology and must
pass a national poison specialist examination.
Maintenance of certification requires
reexamination and proof on continued full-
time employment as a CSPI.

What types of resources are used?

 Trained and experienced medical experts

 Computer based databases for product based information

 On-line databases for specific toxin types

 An up-to-date comprehensive toxicology library (print and on-line)

 Multiple toxicology text books (updated yearly)

 Specialty consultants

 Internet based resources

 Safety Data Sheets (SDS’s)

West Virginia Poison Center Annual Report 2019 Page 7