Chancellor State College students attended a party to remember at Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) today (Wednesday, 20 July).
Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service’s Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) program is an in-hospital injury awareness and prevention program aimed at students aged between 15 and 18 years.
Program Coordinator Melanie Procter said the program aimed to make a significant and lasting impression about the potential consequences of bad choices and risk-taking behaviours.
“The students heard from emergency services and health professionals who see firsthand the impact of trauma on young lives.
“They also learned about the devastating effect that poor decision making can have on their own life and those around them when they met Michael Stewart, father of 16-year-old Balin Stewart who tragically died earlier this year at 16-years of age.
Ms Procter said students had an opportunity to get hands-on to save a patient in a simulated trauma situation.
“They experienced what really happens when a trauma patient arrives to the emergency department and they got a sense of the shock, pain, fear and regret that often follows a traumatic injury,” she said.
“The intent of the P.A.R.T.Y. program is not to frighten young people but to help them recognise dangerous situations and provide them with strategies to use if they perceive they or their friends may be in danger.
“We don’t want to see young people coming into our emergency department with life-threatening injuries that could have been prevented,” she said.
Year 11 student Praska said that the P.A.R.T.Y. program was an eye-opening experience for youths who had the chance to gain knowledge about the long-term consequences of their actions, such as using mobile phones while driving or drug abuse.
“It provided us with examples from trauma victims and helped us gain skills to be safe in such environments,” Praska said.
“I highly recommend this program to other students because of its relevance to youth nowadays."
Chancellor State College Health teacher Ms McDonnell said the P.A.R.T.Y. program was informative and thought provoking for all students and staff.
“Everyone involved walked away from the day with a greater awareness that actions can have lifelong consequences, which is why it is important to make well-informed decisions and look out for the people around you,” she said.
P.A.R.T.Y is run state-wide across many Queensland hospitals and students from across the Sunshine Coast take part in the P.A.R.T.Y. program throughout the year.
The P.A.R.T.Y. program is supported by Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.