Trauma nurse Kathy Boyer recognized for efforts against distracted driving

Christiana Care trauma nurse Kathy Boyer, MSN, RN, has been selected by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety for the Corporate Partner’s Outstanding Program Award in recognition of her efforts to prevent distracted driving.

Boyer, a trauma nurse with more than 25 years of experience, is the trauma center’s injury prevention coordinator and ThinkFirst program coordinator at Christiana Care. In this role, Boyer has provided nearly 180 educational programs to schools, colleges, community organizations and businesses on the dangers of distracted driving. Boyer was nominated by both Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children and the Latin American Community Center.

During her presentations, Boyer uses a “distracted driving simulator” – a realistic program in which participants navigate a roadway reflected on a computer screen while simultaneously attempting to text messages on their cell phones. In almost every instance, the simulation ends in a car crash, resulting in the participants grasping the consequences of their actions.

According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,154 people were killed and 424,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted driving in 2013.

“At Christiana Care, we have a responsibility to educate our young neighbors about the consequences of distracted driving before they get behind the wheel of a car,” Boyer said. “We are grateful for the support from our state and local partners that enable us to protect our children and teenagers from the very preventable injuries caused by distracted driving.”

Boyer coordinates the trauma team’s ThinkFirst program, a national initiative led locally by Christiana Care that is designed to educate young people about their personal vulnerability and the importance of making safe choices. The trauma program also raises funds to support injury prevention programs through the annual Injury Prevention 5K Run & Walk each April.

Christiana Care’s outreach efforts in injury prevention also include programs designed to reduce the rate of violent injuries and reduce falls among older adults. The program is another example of how Christiana Care serves its neighbors by not only caring for them when they are sick, but also partnering with them to stay safe and healthy.

Christiana Care’s Christiana Hospital is the only Level I trauma center for both adults and children in Delaware, and the only one of its kind between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Christiana Hospital’s trauma center features a full range of specialists and resources with the capability of providing total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.