World Trauma Day celebrations in Fourways hospital discusses issues such as heart attacks and strokes

For the first time, Life Fourways Hospital dished out information and awareness on trauma and what being in a trauma unit entails.

October 27, 2022

Khomotso Makgabutlane 2 minutes read

Kanisha Govender, community member Carols Franz, Daniel Moharola and Thobile Buthelezi at the World Trauma Day event at Life Fourways Hospital. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Life Fourways Hospital hosted the inaugural celebrations of World Trauma Day where valuable information was shared on what trauma nurses and doctors do.

With the day taking place on October 17, staff members of the hospital set up stands where community members could get their blood pressure and blood sugar checked, as well as donate blood with the South African National Blood Service. An option was to also find out one’s blood type.

Thobile Buthelezi of Life Fourways Hospital ready to assist community members on trauma awareness for World Trauma Day. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Unit manager in the trauma unit, Sister Claudia Gunuza started working at the hospital in May but has 13 years in trauma care. She said there is a great need in community members and patients to understand what trauma care is about. “It’s important because of the perception. Many think there is a GP and then there’s trauma, and that you can get seen by both for the same type of illnesses but it doesn’t work that way. Your trauma is more your urgent cases. I want to see you if you’re having a heart attack or stroke, or you fell off a roof of a building with serious injuries. It’s about educating the public that you should go to your GP if you’ve had a blocked nose for some time, and you come to trauma if you’re having a heart attack and you’ll be seen in five minutes,” she said.

Student nurse from Life Fourways Hospital, Sonique Whitebooi gets her blood pressure checked at one of the stands for World Trauma Day. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Information discussed with community members at the hospital included pamphlets on stroke awareness and what to do if you or someone may be having a stroke.
Defined as blood flow supply that is obstructed to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain is ruptured or bursts, it is crucial for patients potentially having stroke to get to the hospital within three hours of the stroke starting.

Registered nurse Thulani Khoza and phlebotomist Isabelle Mokoena of Life Fourways Hospital attend the World Trauma Day celebrations. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Symptoms of a stroke include:

Trouble speaking and understanding what others are saying
Sudden paralysis, weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg
Sudden severe headache
Issues with sight, blurred vision, seeing double in one or both eyes.

Phlebotomist at Life Fourways Hospital, Reneilwe Thomo donates blood at the World Trauma Day event. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

“In trauma, you don’t only see your gunshot patients. You also see long-term chronic patients. Looking at trauma days in the future, we want to focus on stroke awareness. We want to look on the calendar for those awareness days and get trauma involved. Possibly, we want to get staff to educate the public outside of the hospital environment because not everyone comes to the hospital,” said Gunuza.