The P.A.R.T.Y Program stands for Prevent Alcohol and Risk related Trauma in Youth. The program is an interactive injury prevention and health promotion program specifically designed for young people aged 15 to 19 years of age. The goal of the program is to provide young people with information about trauma injury that will enable them to recognise potential injury producing situations, particularly related to alcohol and risk taking, help make prevention orientated choices and to adopt behaviours that minimise unnecessary risk.
The students spent the day with various trauma services at Liverpool Hospital. They had the opportunity to meet with ED doctors and nurses, ICU nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, allied health professionals, trauma nurses and patients. Students were confronted with real life examples, simulated clinical scenarios and were exposed to the journey of a trauma patient. In addition, they learnt about the various types of trauma injuries, rehabilitation and equipment used while in trauma care. The highlight of the excursion was hearing from a young man called Josh who was involved in a car crash in 2016 that was preventable. He was able to powerfully convey the horrendous impact the trauma has had and continues to have on his life. He lives in Gosford and travelled 3 hours on the train each way to speak to the students for 30 minutes. It was a privilege to hear from him with the key message of the day resonating with students, “live once, think twice”.
A big thank you to Mrs Nevenka Francis, College parent, Area Trauma Clinical Nurse Consultant and P.A.R.T.Y Program Coordinator at Liverpool Hospital who conducted and organised the program on the day. Mrs Francis was so passionate when she spoke about how good decisions can lead to preventing horrific trauma occurring, particularly in motor vehicle crashes. The program was professionally run, super organised, dynamic, and relevant, and greatly impacted the students.
Some of the reflections from Year 12 students can be read below.
Mr Hugh Renshaw
Head of Senior School
Year 12 Student Reflections
“The excursion was a once in a lifetime experience. Despite being quite overwhelming and confronting at times, it was very eye-opening and left an everlasting impact on me. It allowed me to see the extent to which rash decisions can impact not just our lives, but the lives of people around us. By seeing and hearing the confronting stories throughout the day, it undoubtedly put things in perspective for me. I definitely left the excursion a wiser and more educated individual who was reminded of the importance of making smart decisions and being safe”.
“The P.A.R.T.Y program not only thoroughly informed me about the dangers of risk taking and how this could affect my life and the people around me as a result of a split second decision, but the program also put me in life like scenarios which gave me a deeper understanding of how it would feel to be in a dangerous situation. Giving me a sense of the long recover time this could have on one’s life. The P.A.R.T.Y program deepened my respect towards the men and women that work in the hospitals who are surrounded by the result of a bad decision every day, leaving me in awe”.
“The PARTY program was a great educational experience which taught me about the consequences associated with risk taking behaviour. It really put things into perspective, showing me how one bad choice can change my life. I highly recommend this excursion to anyone as it is a great learning experience that may benefit someone one day”.
