Injury Prevention Training in Cape Breton

People in Cape Breton will be a step closer to being injury-free, thanks to the dedication of health and injury prevention professionals. Twenty-seven professionals are participating in the Canadian Injury Prevention and Control Curriculum beginning Wednesday, Sept. 29, in North Sydney.

"This curriculum is a valuable resource to Nova Scotia's injury prevention practitioners because it's developed for Canadians, using Canadian content and data -- the first curriculum to do so," said Julian Young, co-ordinator of injury prevention and control with the Office of Health Promotion, and instructor of the curriculum. "By enhancing the skills of Nova Scotia's injury prevention practitioners, we can be more effective and strategic in our prevention efforts."

Injuries are the leading cause of death for Canadians aged 1-44, killing 450 Nova Scotians each year. The curriculum focuses on the epidemiology of injury; principles of injury control; basic injury data systems; applied research and planning methodologies; and methods of program development, implementation and evaluation.

Mary Musgrave, a public health nurse and nurse manager for district health authorities 7 and 8, participated in the first curriculum in June. As a result of her experience, she encouraged her colleagues in Cape Breton to participate, and several are registered.

"As public health professionals, we're in the homes, schools and communities and are in a good position to decrease injury and the impact of injury, knowing that it's one of the most pervasive health issues we're faced with," said Ms. Musgrave. "This course provides an excellent foundation of knowledge to help us help others."

This is the second of five three-day courses to be offered throughout the province this year, training more than 125 people in total. It will help establish a common language and understanding of injury prevention among all areas of injury prevention across Nova Scotia and throughout the country, improving the ability to work together to address this epidemic. Participants will be better equipped with the knowledge to develop injury prevention programming specific to their community's need.

Child Safety Link, the Atlantic Network for Injury Prevention, and several other organizations have partnered with the Office of Health Promotion to help deliver the curriculum in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia is the only province with a provincially funded and endorsed Injury Prevention Strategy, with a $350,000 investment this year. Preventing falls, motor vehicle crashes and self- inflicted injury are the strategy's three priority areas.

For more information on the curriculum see the website at http://www.canadianinjurycurriculum.ca . The Injury Prevention Strategy is on the Office of Health Promotion website at www.gov.ns.ca/ohp/injuryprevention.html .