Local Injury Prevention Programs
As a medical center that cares for trauma patients, Sierra Vista is committed to reducing the number of injuries in our community through education and prevention.
Friday Night Live: Every 15 Minutes - This two day program targets high school students and focuses on the risks associated with underage drinking. The teens witness the consequences of a staged drink driving crash and are challenged to think about drinking, driving, personal safety and the impact their decisions have on family and friends. The trauma prevention program and emergency department staff at Sierra Vista have been actively involved with Every 15 Minutes for several years. The hospital staff performs a mock resuscitation of the teens that are transported to the Sierra Vista Emergency Department from the staged drunk driving crash. The life like images of injuries and death are filmed along with the staged crash scene and shown at the high school assembly.
Cal Poly "Safe Zone" Campaign - Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center is concerned about the irresponsible and potentially dangerous use of alcohol by local college students, particularly those under the age of 21. In order to combat the fear and anxiety some students might feel about seeking medical help for a severely intoxicated friend, Sierra Vista has created a "Safe Zone" policy. This policy means that any student who helps a friend seek treatment for alcohol poisoning will not get in trouble.
Student Athlete Concussion Testing - Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and San Luis Sports Therapy have collaborated to bring the ImPACT Concussion Testing Program to several San Luis Obispo County high schools. ImPACT Concussion Testing provides a baseline “normal” test for student-athletes. Should an athlete sustain a head injury due to an impact that occurs during competition, physicians will have the ability to compare the follow-up test to compare the extent of the injury. Based on that secondary test, physicians, coaches and team athletic trainers will have much more information at their disposal by which to judge a student-athlete’s ability to return to game action.