Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford has earned redesignation as a Level III Trauma facility. The designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the American College of Surgeons is awarded to facilities that provide 24-hour and immediate assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients.

“It’s a great honor and a collaborative effort with the emergency department as well as local EMS,” said Lori Williams, R.N., B.S.N., director of nursing operations at Texas Health HEB. “People in our community can have confidence in our ability to meet their needs in case of a traumatic injury.”

“Our main purpose is to provide optimal care and improve patient outcomes,” said Margaret Perez, R.N., B.S.N., the hospital’s trauma program manager. “As a Level III Trauma center, we have processes in place to make sure patients are taken care of quickly and we work closely with CareFlite to transfer patients who may need a higher level of care.”

Besides caring for patients in the hospital, the trauma team worked on a community outreach initiative to educate local school nurses with Stop the Bleed, an initiative that encourages bystanders to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. The trauma program plans to donate Stop the Bleed kits to nearly 30 schools in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District.