ADVERTORIAL
Reducing trauma impact Professor Kate Curtis is the winner of Nurse of the Year in the 2019 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards. She works for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District in Wollongong, NSW.
Kate is recognised for her work as a trauma
trauma nurses in the world, her evidence-based
nurse tirelessly advocating to reduce the impact
model of trauma care has improved equitable
of trauma injuries on patients and improve
access to quality emergency treatment.
emergency hospital care across Australia and internationally, particularly for children.
“Part of what I do is to ensure that everyone gets equitable access to emergency and trauma
Kate was instrumental in developing a National
care so that no matter where you get injured
Injury Prevention Strategy. She is an internationally
in Australia you have the same opportunity for
renowned emergency and trauma nurse clinical
survival,” says Kate.
researcher, whose studies into injury prevention
“Emergency and trauma care is an opportunity
and treatment has improved clinical practice both
to help people at the worst time of their lives.
in Australia and around the world.
It’s also an opportunity to apply science and
“The most rewarding thing about this work is knowing that we’re making a difference through
clinical skills to save lives.” Kate combines her clinical work with academic
research and advocacy for this pandemic that is
roles to produce ground-breaking studies on
childhood injury. Injury is the leading cause of
paediatric and emergency trauma care. Kate
death and disability in Australian kids,” says Kate.
also founded the Childhood Injury Prevention
One of the most published emergency and 34
The Health Advocate • AUGUST 2019
Alliance (CHIPA) to improve injury treatment and
