AN EYE-OPENING hospital experience left a group of students reeling yesterday as they went behind the scenes during the simulated journey of a trauma patient in the emergency department (ED).
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The tour through the busiest ward of the Tamworth hospital was part of the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) Program, which aims to present the real consequences of “risk-taking” behaviour.
As students from Farrer High School watched on, staff acted in real-time as they simulated the ED treatment of a patient from a car accident.
The grim reality that staff face every day was on show, as two students left the room when the intensity of the scenario got too much to bear.
A number of Tamworth high schools have brought students through for the experience and Tamworth ED director Dr Nick Ryan has backed the program, which he said gets the message across.
“They’re often shocked by what they see,” Dr Ryan said.
“They’re things they haven’t thought about before and it will make them think before they make bad choices and possibly what could occur as a result.”
Dr Ryan said while the scenes might have been confronting for students, it is the scenes that are played out in hospital wards on a daily basis.
“I think it has been proven to be an effective strategy,” he said.
“Certainly seeing the looks on the kids’ faces and their reactions, I think it is getting the message across.”
Year 11 Farrer student Jack Foley said the experience was daunting and he’d hate to see himself in that situation.
“It was pretty daunting seeing how the patient reacted, but it was really good to see how the staff handled it,” he said.
Classmate Lachlan Davidson said the simulation hit home hard, very quickly.
“It really hits you hard and it’s very overwhelming,” he said.
“It was very intense and it will definitely get the message across to the peers.”