DeTar Healthcare System Highlights National Trauma Awareness Month with Focus on Emergency Care and Injury Prevention

5/5/2026

When patients enter the hospital through the ambulance bay doors of DeTar’s emergency room after sustaining a traumatic injury, they are oftentimes experiencing one of the most terrifying ordeals of their lives. It’s in these moments that the dedicated staff of the ER ease patients’ fears by providing rapid, lifesaving care. In honor of National Trauma Awareness Month, DeTar Healthcare System is emphasizing the critical role these frontline healthcare workers play in these life changing moments.

“Trauma cases are often unpredictable and require immediate, highly coordinated responses,” Clayton Ley, MSN, RN, trauma program manager at DeTar Healthcare System, said. “Our emergency room team is trained to act quickly and efficiently, because in trauma care, every second truly counts.”

Trauma remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, particularly for individuals under the age of 45. Incidents such as motor vehicle crashes, falls and violent injuries account for millions of emergency department visits each year, placing emergency care teams on the front lines of treatment and recovery.

At DeTar Healthcare System, the most common causes of traumatic injuries seen in DeTar’s emergency departments are falls, often resulting in broken bones, and motor vehicle collisions. At DeTar Hospital Navarro and DeTar Hospital North, both emergency room teams are specially trained to respond to a wide range of traumatic injuries with speed, precision and coordinated care and are fully equipped and prepared to manage all levels of trauma, including penetrating injuries such as gunshot wounds and stabbings.

All staff are trained in adult and pediatric trauma care, and many are also burn certified through advanced burn life support (ABLS). In addition, the clinical teams routinely care for a broad range of injuries, including animal-related injuries, sports injuries and water-related trauma.

“If you’re hurt, we will see you,” Ley said.

From the moment a patient arrives, a multidisciplinary team works to stabilize injuries, initiate critical interventions and determine the next steps for advanced care.

“Sometimes we are meeting people on the worst days of their lives,” Ley said. “These traumatic injuries not only affect the life of the person who is injured, but also the lives of their loved ones.”

Nationally, traumatic injuries account for approximately 41 million emergency department visits annually, with motor vehicle crashes and falls among the most common causes. In Texas, trauma-related incidents continue to be a significant public health concern, particularly in rural and semi-rural regions where access to immediate care can impact outcomes.

“Behind every statistic is a real person and a family whose lives can change in an instant,” Ley said. “Our team is committed not only to providing expert care in those critical moments, but also to raising awareness about how these injuries happen and what can be done to prevent them. All it takes is one mistake, one distraction to be at risk for a traumatic injury, it can happen to any of us.”

DeTar Healthcare System’s emergency room operates 24/7, equipped with advanced technology and staffed by experienced physicians, nurses, and trauma specialists dedicated to delivering high-quality emergency care when it is needed most.

“National Trauma Awareness Month is a reminder of both the importance of emergency preparedness and the incredible work being done every day by ER teams,” Ley added. “We are proud of the skill, dedication, and compassion our staff brings to every patient we serve.”

For more information about emergency services, please visit www.detar.com/emergency-department.

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