Since early June, we’ve seen more than 70 people who were injured on the snow fields. During the same time period last year, we saw only 13.

Through her work with the Capital Regional Retrieval Service on the TOLL Southcare Helicopter and being an emergency department registrar at Canberra Hospital, Karen Peters often sees patients who were injured on the snow fields before hospital, as the doctor who flies out to retrieve them, and in emergency. This makes Dr Peters uniquely qualified to warn of the risks associated with skiing and snowboarding.

‘It’s been great to see so many enjoying the snow fields this year, after a couple of tough years of staying home. Being out in nature is great for our wellbeing and a change of scenery can be refreshing. But unfortunately, sometimes people do hurt themselves.’

‘The injuries at the snow this year have ranged from minor to significant trauma, to unfortunately, fatal injuries. We mostly see limb injuries to the hands and legs, but we also see a lot involving chest, head and neck, which can be more challenging for the teams involved.’

‘When skiing or snowboarding, we’re all there to have fun, but it’s no fun to have your day end in a hospital visit. To keep safe at the snow, I would say keep the alcohol for after skiing, so you’re less likely to do something too risky and your reactions are quicker if there is a near miss.’

‘You should also always wear a helmet for that extra level of protection, just as you would going down a mountain on a bike, stay on the runs at your level, and if you’re very experienced and go off piste, let someone know where you’re heading and when you’re due back. Even a personal location beacon can be a great tool in case of emergency, as it’s often in difficult conditions that ski patrol/mountain rescue are trying to find you.’

‘Drive to the conditions and think about tiredness on the way to or from the snow. Stop if you need to and have a designated driver if you’ve been having a few schnapps.’

‘In both the Emergency Department and with Southcare, we work very closely with the ACT Trauma Service to assess, treat and then move patients from the scene of the initial trauma to Canberra Hospital for ongoing treatment.’

‘We activate what is called a trauma code when we’re on the way to Canberra Hospital so that the team know we’re coming, and the theatre can be on standby if necessary. This makes it a much smoother journey for the patient.’

‘You never know what will happen with a retrieval. There’s always a flight paramedic and doctor on board and we can be tasked to a range of scenarios from road, industrial, farming or recreational accidents, such as skiing, to moving critically unwell patients from smaller hospitals to larger centres for ongoing care.’

‘In emergency, no two days are the same. One thing that is consistent is that it’s always busy! There’s a great team approach in ED, everyone is vital to ongoing patient care; from clerical officers when the patient arrives, to nursing staff, doctors, physiotherapists, ward assistants and wards people.’

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