Baylor Scott & White team focuses on preventing injury
By Amy ROGNLIE | Photos by RUSTY SCHRAMM, Baylor Scott & White Health
As a pediatric nurse and a mom, Krista Easley has seen it all — from broken bones and bruises to cancer and car accidents. “It breaks your heart to see kids who are hurting,” said Easley, coordinator of the Trauma Injury Prevention team at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple. “We want to see all kids grow up happy and healthy.”
Baylor Scott & White’s Trauma Injury Prevention program in Temple focuses on reducing preventable injuries across Central Texas through community-based education and outreach. The program brings together teams from Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple and Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, combining expertise in both adult and pediatric trauma care.
One of the most impactful initiatives at McLane’s is their car seat program. For years, car wrecks had been the number one cause of children’s deaths in our area, explained Easley. She and her team set out to change that by ramping up their efforts to meet people where they are with education on travel safety and free car seats.
“Some folks are in a desperate situation,” Easley said. “I get it — if you must choose between buying groceries for your kids or buying a car seat, make sure your kids are fed. But we want to make sure that no one has to make that kind of choice.”
The team works with organizations such as WIC and Headstart to make sure that every child has a car seat. They also stock car seats in the emergency rooms and educate parents, grandparents, and other caregivers about the importance of properly restraining a child in a vehicle.
Now, the hospital has not had an in-house death from a car injury since 2024 and are grateful to community donors who have help fund the program, particularly the people at the Don Ringler car dealerships.
Besides the car seat program, the Trauma Injury Prevention team offers a wide range of educational programs designed for community groups such as schools, workplaces, neighborhood groups and senior living communities. Many of these programs are offered at no cost and are delivered on-site, making them accessible and practical for participants. Programming covers common injury risks across all ages and includes topics/programs such as hands-only CPR, Stop the Bleed, safe sleep for infants, safe firearm storage education, distracted driving awareness, bike safety and helmet usage, and water safety.
Kristen McBride is the Trauma Injury Prevention program coordinator at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple, partnering with the program at McLane’s. She has been with BSWH for 14 years and has always enjoyed educating her patients about their health. In her role as program coordinator, she is a hands-on educator of adults, and her team provides several programs specifically aimed at senior adults.
“Falls are the number one cause of injury for all ages,” explained McBride. “We partner with the Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas to educate seniors, especially.”
One fun and appealing way to educate seniors is through Bingocize, a bingo-style fall-prevention program for seniors of all capabilities that includes light exercises to improve strength and mobility with education on reducing fall, all in a fun, social setting. McBride is a certified Bingocize instructor and enjoys creating an environment where people can learn, move, and connect.
Her team also partners with the Texas A&M Agriculture Extension Service to offer CarFit, a free program that helps older drivers improve the “fit” of their vehicle for safety and comfort. Participants work with trained technicians to make simple adjustments — like seat position, mirrors, and steering wheel placement — that can greatly improve visibility and control. CarFit is not a driving test, but a practical way to help older adults stay safe, independent, and confident on the road.
“They don’t have to find us,” McBride said. “We go to them at the senior center, assisted living facility or wherever someone invites us to come. Many seniors have said that they feel safer after attending the CarFit program.”
All of these efforts are designed to meet people where they are with the goal of equipping Central Texans with simple, actionable steps to stay safe and reduce the risk of injury in everyday life. But when accidents do occur, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple is uniquely situated as the region’s only Level I trauma center between Dallas and Austin, equipped to care for the most severe injuries. Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center is a dedicated pediatric hospital with Level II pediatric trauma capability, serving children across Central Texas. Located in a smaller community adjacent to rural areas, both hospitals welcome a diverse patient population while providing a high level of care — while also working upstream to help prevent injuries before they occur.
For more information or to register for an upcoming event, you can contact the team at ctxinjuryprevention@bswhealth.org.
