Violence Prevention

Violence and gun violence are a local and national tragedy.

A National Tragedy Choice Road The Ripple Effect You Only Live Once Contact Us

A National Tragedy

Violence and gun violence are a local and national tragedy. Violence is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15-24. The ChristianaCare Trauma Department seeks to treat violence in the community by helping people better understand the consequences of violence.

We regularly talk to groups and provide tips about how to prevent violence.

Contact Kaitlyn Angermeier at Kaitlyn.Angermeier@christianacare.org or 302-733-5927 to request a violence prevention speaker for your group.

Choice Road

The engaging session, “Choice Road,” is a 45-90 minute program for adolescents in grades 6-12 which includes the showing of a 15-minute film, “Choice Road: An American Tale.” The actors in the film include local students, police, emergency services, and medical professionals. In the film, a 16-year old boy decides to join a gang. He is shot and becomes a quadriplegic. A ‘credible messenger’ and the program coordinator engage the youth in a open discussion of choices and consequences.

The Ripple Effect

“The Ripple Effect” is a 28 minute documentary filmed at ChristianaCare. The documentary depicts scenes from the trauma bay during actual trauma resuscitations. It also includes an honest interview with a patient who talks about his injuries and how personal choices led to these injuries suffered secondary to violence. Medical professionals including physicians, trauma nurses, family support staff and mental health specialists are interviewed throughout the documentary. A medical professional concludes the program with a discussion of the documentary.

You Only Live Once

“You Only Live Once” is a re-enactment of a trauma resuscitation inside Christiana Hospital. In the simulation center at Christiana Hospital, a team of trauma nurses and physicians will re-enact the resuscitation of one of our gunshot-wounded patients. This story is true.

During the program, students will see:

A trauma resuscitation simulation.
A re-enactment of emergency procedures with the use of a mannequin: insertion of various IVs, tubes, surgical procedures and the insertion of other emergency equipment such as breathing tubes and urinary catheters.
Artificial blood.

It is not the intent of this program to upset or frighten students, but rather to offer them an honest and unrestricted look at the consequences of violence. It is our hope that after participating in this program, students will be less likely to place themselves in situations in which they might become either the victims or perpetrators of violence.