TUBA CITY, AZ–On Friday, June 18, forty-five staff members from Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) attended a Rural Trauma Team Development Course (RTTDC) in Tuba City, offered by Banner Good Samaritan Hospital of Phoenix, AZ. The course covered topics about initial assessment of injuries, establishing an airway, maintaining circulation, and stabilizing injuries.
Lynette Begay, RN, Trauma/EMS Coordinator and Delores Succo, RN, BSN, TCRHCC ER Nurse Supervisor, led a group of Emergency Department physicians, nurses, ancillary staff, and EMS service providers in presenting this course.
TCRHCC is a Level IV Trauma Center, the only one of its kind on the Navajo Nation. Tuba City Hospital is also one of six designated Level IV Trauma Centers in Arizona.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) reported over 24,000 people receive traumatic injuries in Arizona per year. More than 60% of these traumas occur in rural areas.
Succo said, “Tuba City is rural country.”
A rural facility like Tuba City Hospital makes a key difference in the care of a trauma patient.
According to the ADHS, a Level I Trauma Center requires that facilities make available the highest level of resources and capabilities, while designation as a Level IV Trauma Center requires more limited resources and capabilities while still assuring high quality trauma care.
A facility like Tuba City Hospital ensures that it works closely with a Level I Trauma Center to which they refer critical trauma patients for a higher level of care. “Being a State designated Level IV Trauma facility means that we have the resources and capabilities to resuscitate, stabilize and transfer to a higher level of care,” said Succo.
Begay said, “As a Level IV Trauma Center there are guidelines that our facility must adhere to in order to maintain this status. With services available at our facility, we received compliments from Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center for services we provide.” She added, “We provide excellent care from all medical staff with the available resources.”
The RTTDC helps rural facilities like Tuba City Hospital to be prepared for significant trauma care.
Dr. Corey Detlefs, Banner Health Trauma Surgeon and Chief of Staff explained, “RTTDC helps guide the facility to understand, and to think ahead of time about what they can do and can’t do, and have protocols, policies and procedures already in place that say for this kind of injury, they have to go to here or there.”
Dr. Detlefs was impressed with the turnout. He said, “This is the greatest number of students that has ever been taught, in one sitting.”
RTTDC was designed by the American College of Surgeons to utilize local resources to ensure that the care of the pediatric and adult trauma patient is initiated as soon as possible.
Begay coordinates a number of training and education programs for the emergency room staff, including trauma evaluation and assessment of care provided to patients received at the hospital. She also handles the trauma reporting to the Arizona Department of Health.
In 2009, ADHS reported American Indian/Alaska Native population had the highest trauma rate in the northern region of Arizona. A significant increase in trauma was seen in the American Indian/Alaska Native population in 2008.
Begay says, “As a pre-hospital provider for over 20 years, I understand the needs of our community and identified the need for this course.”
Participants at the RTTDC each demonstrated commitment not only for the local community, but also to continuing education and providing great medical care.
Succo knows the hospital is on the right track, she said, “We are utilizing our resources efficiently. We have a team of specially trained and experienced medical, nursing and ancillary support professionals who provide skilled emergency care.”
In the future, Begay plans to implement a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program for the Tuba City Hospital, to continue to collaborate with Banner Good Samaritan Hospital, Guardian Air and plans for Classic Lifeguard in-service programs.
# # # #
