Lake Regional Health System | Thrive | Summer 2018

PLEASE WEAR IT! Life jackets save lives. Learn the laws and get sizing tips at lakeregional.com/lifejacket . Trauma Center: Here For You As a Level III Trauma Center, Lake Regional has 24/7 acute care and trauma surgeons on call. Our Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit physicians and staff members all maintain trauma-specific certifications. The hospital undergoes a rigorous program review every five years to maintain state designation. John Patton, D.O., FACOS, a general surgeon, serves as the trauma medical director, and Mariah Swinker, R.N., is dedicated to the trauma program’s daily management and continued success. “Not all hospitals choose to apply for the trauma center designation, and no hospital in Jefferson City, Lebanon or Rolla is a trauma center,” Dr. Patton says. “That makes it even more important that Lake Regional offers these services.” AVOID • Operate the bilge blower (if equipped) for at least four minutes. • Avoid distractions while fueling. • Stop cranking and investigate if the engine won’t start right up after refu- eling. In most cases of fueling-related accidents, the operator tried multiple times to start the engine before an explosion occurred. Boating and alcohol Boating while intoxicated increases the risk for all seven of these dangers. “Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents,” Swinker says. “Don’t set yourself up for regret. Stay sober and safe on the water.” • If driving, always wear a lanyard with an engine cutoff switch. • Keep the boat away from marked swimming areas. ! Cliff jumping. The dangers of cliff jumping include perineal and rectal trauma, rib fractures, lung bruising, compression fractures, and head trauma. There are no tips for making this activity safe. Just don’t do it. ! Fuel hazards. Follow safe fueling procedures to avoid sparking a fire or explosion: • Do not smoke on or around the gas dock. • Turn off your engine before fueling. • Close up all compartments, cabins and hatches before fueling. • While fueling, keep the nozzle in contact with the edge of the fill to reduce the risk of sparking. • Do not top off the tank. from entering body cavities. You also should wear neoprene shorts when tub- ing, waterskiing and wakeboarding. ! Propeller injuries. Potentially horrific, these injuries usually occur when someone falls out of a boat while it’s underway or when someone slips while boarding or exiting a boat that has the engine running. Several basic safety steps can help avoid propeller injuries: • Always turn the boat off before allowing anyone to board or exit. • Make sure all passengers are seated properly before starting. • Allow no one to ride on a seat back, gunwale, transom or bow. • If someone falls overboard, turn the engine off completely before turning to attempt a rescue. • Never operate a boat in reverse to pick up a fallen skier or other swimmer. • Always keep a proper lookout. lakeregional.com 7