| Trauma Nurses Talk Tough |
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Trauma Nurse Talks Tough at Oregon Risk Seminar
Currently, Joanne Fairchild runs the Injury Prevention program at Emanuel Hospital in Portland. She and several other nurses teach injury prevention in schools, for community groups and for court ordered classes. Joanne used to be a flight nurse with Life Flight. At the Oregon Risk Seminar she had slides of serious vehicle accident scenes that she attended. She had slides of patients in the ER. Then we’d see them later – not better.
Her message was graphic and direct. Despite technological advances and what you see on TV, modern medicine cannot fix the brain injuries, amputations, and severed spinal cords that result from common daily activities. Mostly, these activities are riding bikes and driving cars. And, since these are things we do all the time, we tend not to recognize the dangers. Nor do we respect the individual responsibility we have to take precautions. And as a society, we are foolishly tolerant of behaviors that cause serious harm.
Eleven years ago a small boy was kidnapped and murdered by a stranger. It was front-page news for days. The community demanded better police protection. There were legislative hearings. It has not happened again. But in those ensuing eleven years, 50 children under the age of ten have died because they were not wearing helmets while riding their bicycles. No outrage. No hearings. No call for police action. No media coverage. Joanne asks, "Do we really love our children?"
What Are You Doing About These Risks?
On the job, we track workers comp costs of vehicle crashes and bodily injury costs in auto liability. But Joanne pointed out the other losses we experience.
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We lose time caught in traffic behind crashes.
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How are our state-paid benefits impacted by vehicle crash costs for employees or dependents?
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In serious collisions, families are away from work or distracted with concern. Families end-up caring for a member disabled in a crash, sometimes for the rest of their lives.
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Public dollars eventually fund the most serious disabilities.
Joanne asks what influence we can have in the workplace on driving behavior.
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Speed is the leading cause of death of young men in Oregon. What do you do about complaints that employees are speeding on the job?
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More people drive impaired by anger and a "Hollywood" image of stunt crashes than impaired by drugs or alcohol. Do you watch employees leave work upset or angry and drive home?
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Vans are over-represented in back-over accidents of children. Do your employees learn to handle vans or SUVs at work? What are you doing about backing collisions on the job?
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94% misuse rate of child safety seats. Do your employees use them on the job? Do they use them correctly?
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Traffic crashes are violent crimes. Are you worried about violence at work?
Unfortunately, Joanne tells us their school education program will likely lose state funding this session. But she and other nurses are available for workplace presentations at reasonable costs. They talk about traffic crashes for on-the-job safety, child bike safety, and vehicle safety for workplace wellness or workshops on the correct use of child safety seats. Would your employees benefit from some straight talk about real outcomes of bad driving? Do you want to hear "Trauma Nurses Talk Tough"? Talk to your agency Safety Advisor, Risk Coordinator, or Wellness Contact.
Winter 00, Vol 14, No2
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