Ms Emma Collins1,2,3,4, Mrs Nicole Kelly1,2
1Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia, 2Trauma SA, Adelaide, Australia, 3College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA), Adelaide, Australia, 4Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA), Adelaide, Australia
Biography:
Emma, a Trauma Nurse Consultant, with experience across Emergency & Tauma care, haemodialysis, chemotherapy, anaesthetics, management & education, both in metropolitan & regional South Australia. She has served in NUM, Acting DON & educator to hospitals across SA. Her professional interests include emergency & trauma care, rural/remote health, nursing education, leadership, & organisational culture. Emma is passionate about sharing knowledge & advancing nursing practice throughout SA.
Abstract:
Approximately 25% of major trauma cases in South Australia originate from rural areas, which places a disproportionate burden on these communities1. Geographic isolation, limited access to specialist trauma resources, and variability in trauma education contribute to delays in recognition, resuscitation and transfer – factors that can impact patient outcomes2 3.
To address these disparities, the SA Trauma System has developed a series of outreach education programs for both metropolitan and regional settings including:
• Statewide Trauma Tuesday Education: Delivered virtually since 2022 ensuring accessibility across all SA Local Health Networks.
• Statewide Trauma Management Week: Hosted in November annually.
• Metropolitan Trauma Nurse Consultant engagement: with regional teams via face to face and online platforms.
• A key initiative launched in the last year is the SA Trauma Nursing Course. First delivered in metropolitan Adelaide with attendees from across SA; further adapted for Regional delivery. This course utilises diverse teaching modalities including visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic to support varied learning needs.
Preliminary findings of a retrospective review of major trauma patient data transferred from regional LHNs to SA Trauma Services between 2020 and 2025 suggests a high proportion of moderate-to-severe injuries; primarily blunt force trauma, with consistent requirement for up transfer of major trauma to metropolitan trauma centres for definitive care. These insights underscore the necessity for early, high-quality trauma nursing education to support early assessment & interventions in regional settings.
This education collaboration represents a scalable model for improving trauma care equity, supporting workforce development, and strengthening the statewide trauma system.