Well - Spring 2011 - (Page 4)

COMMUNITy a crash course in car safety mock accident helps drive message home. TIM FREER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTIClE. cars, the police RN, CFRN, EMT, clinical otor vehicle crashes are enough to get a officers handnurse and hospital liaison the leading cause of death teen’s attention. cuff and “arrest” for UNC Carolina Air Care, is for U.S. teens, according to the student porone of the Air Care members the National Highway Traffic Safety traying the drunk who visit high schools to talk Administration, and drivers between driver, and the emerto students about driving safety. the ages of 15 and 20 have the highgency medical team arrives The initial focus of the program was est rate of fatal crashes of any age on the Air Care helicopter to pick up drunk driving, but it has expanded group. UNC Carolina Air Care is workthe patients. over the years to address other ing to change that statistic in The entirety of the mock crash is issues while driving, such as texting, North Carolina. narrated so that students can easspeeding and drowsiness. UNC Air Care transily follow what is going on. They can Talking to teens is a start, but ports critically ill drivers ages even hear the radio transmissions sometimes the message can get patients to the hosfrom the helicopter as it flies in and lost unless the presentation is pital from accident lands. Seeing everything happen in powerful enough to get their attensites. The helicophave the highest rate real time helps drive home the point tion. Air Care’s safe-driving presenters are equipped of fatal crashes of that crashes like that really can haptations aim to do just that—with with everything any age group. pen to the students or the people realistic and graphic mock car an ambulance has, they know. crashes that include students who including cardiac Abriana Pastrana, a student help stage the accidents by being monitoring, oxygen and from East Chapel Hill High School, stand-in injured victims. a ventilator, and have speplayed the drunk driver in a mock “Our goal is to make sure that cialized teams for adult and pedicrash. “I couldn’t even imagine being teenagers understand not only the atric patients. Along with the pilot, in that situation,” she says, “but I consequences of unsafe driving,” each flight has a flight nurse and a thought it was a really good learning McGrath says, “but also how long it flight paramedic or flight respiratory experience.” can take before someone gets out therapist. McGrath believes that mock there to help them.” Having seen the devastating crashes do, indeed, teach young During the demonstrations, stueffects of car accidents and the drivers about the consequences of dents watch in real time how the number of teens affected, the reckless driving. In his view, seeing scene of an accident is handled Air Care team designed a it, hearing it and even experiencing by the police, fire departprogram to help teens it are certain to leave a lasting ment and emergency understand the risks of impression on these kids. “When medical teams. driving and, hopeair Care’s teenagers have a perception of The firefighters fully, prevent program now punishment for a given behavior,” extricate victims future accidents. warns against he says, “they’re less likely to do it.” from mangled Chris McGrath, M powerful 15 to 20 4 Spring 2011 Well while driving and drowsy driving. texting photos: eithiel estes the message can get lost unless the presentation is

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Well - Spring 2011

Well - Spring 2011
Contents
UNC Health Care News
Community
Little Patients Require Special Care
2010 Community Benefit Summary
My Story
Lessons Learned
Nutrition
Calendar

Well - Spring 2011

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