May is National Trauma Month

Prowers Medical Center provides care of all kinds, but one essential service we offer the community is trauma care. For National Trauma Awareness Month, we’d like to share information and updates about our trauma program.

In the medical world, “trauma” means serious injury. Our hospital earned designation as a Level IV Trauma Center by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) in
late 2022. A trauma center is a hospital with a multidisciplinary program in which departments work together to provide quality care to seriously injured people.

Prowers Medical Center’s Level IV designation means that we passed a formal review process demonstrating we meet CDPHE requirements for quality emergent care as well as a performance improvement program. The program must consistently review opportunities for improvement, create action plans on how to improve, and demonstrate that actions taken are effective.

“As a designated trauma center, Prowers Medical Center is part of a statewide network of trauma facilities that commit to quality protocols and work together to efficiently transfer patients when higher levels of care are necessary,” said Tianne Woodward, Prowers Medical Center’s Trauma Nurse Coordinator. “Not only can we transfer patients smoothly, but we also have increased our capability to admit trauma patients and keep them right here at home in our facility.”

In 2023, we provided care for 224 trauma patients. The top three causes of injury were falls, motor vehicle accidents and burns.

Updates to Our Trauma Program

Since our Level IV designation in November of 2022, we have maintained and enhanced the trauma program.

“We are constantly evaluating our trauma care processes to look for opportunities to improve,” Woodward said.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one common issue in the aftermath of falls and motor vehicle collisions. The Prowers Medical Center trauma team created TBI practice guidelines and trained staff to ensure patients with TBI are treated with the current

best practices. This includes coordinating among various hospital departments that are part of the trauma team.

“The notification of a potential trauma patient comes from EMS,” Woodward said. “The Emergency Department team then announces overhead that a trauma patient is en route.
Once the notification is made, the trauma team assembles rapidly in the ED. Since we have begun this process, we have dealt with multiple multi- trauma patient situations in which the hospital received two to five seriously injured patients all at one time. Due to the processes we have put in place, we were able to efficiently and effectively triage, stabilize and treat these patients. It is truly amazing to see the team members mobilize in these emergencies and see our patients get the best care possible care right here at Prowers Medical Center.”

Another result of the continuous performance improvement initiatives has been the purchase
of new equipment for trauma care, such as Hare traction splints, pressure monitors to assess for compartment syndrome and a new GlideScope for intubation.

Over the past year, Prowers Medical Center trauma staff have also worked closely with teams at other regional trauma centers, enhancing
care coordination and taking advantage of staff education opportunities.

“We are also putting together a Stop the Bleed (STB) class for community members,” Woodward added. “We held a few classes last year and are excited to get more on the books this year. This 90-minute course teaches lifesaving skills to the average person. Losing too much blood is one
of the number one causes of death to a trauma patient, so something as simple as knowing how to apply the right amount of pressure could give an injured person the chance to survive long enough to be taken to a trauma facility.”

Stop the Bleed Class

STB for community members will take place later this year.