With insights from Kelly Coya, Roper Hospital’s ED nurse manager
When Roper Hospital opens its new doors in North Charleston in 2029, it will bring with it a critical first for Roper St. Francis Healthcare: dedicated trauma bays and a Level II trauma center designation.
“It’s a huge step forward,” said Kelly Coya, manager of the Roper Hospital Emergency Department. “Adding trauma capabilities is essential as our community grows. It allows us to offer faster, more advanced care when minutes truly matter.”
The future emergency department will feature 47 beds, three of which are fully dedicated trauma bays that will be designed with purpose, precision and teamwork in mind.
Each trauma bay will be large and identically outfitted, allowing teams to function seamlessly across rooms. Key equipment and supplies will be within arm’s reach, and a unique podium in the corner of each room will allow a team leader to oversee care and document in real-time.
The bays will also feature double booms, which are ceiling-mounted units that house critical utilities like oxygen and suction, providing quick access to the life-saving tools trauma teams rely on.
Key features of these trauma bays include:
- Spacious layout: Each bay will be approximately 500 square feet
- Infection control: Bays equipped with laminar flow air curtains to maintain sterile conditions and reduce airborne contamination
- Patient comfort: Integrated radiant heat panels provide warmth and comfort during treatment
- Strategic location: Rooms will be positioned immediately inside the ED, adjacent to the ambulance bay for swift patient transfer
- Vertical connectivity
- Dedicated trauma elevator to the surgical department
- High-speed trauma elevator connecting directly to the rooftop helipad for airlifted patients
- Operational efficiency
- Direct observation from the central nurse station
- Elevated charge nurse platform in each room for enhanced oversight
- Interconnecting doors between trauma rooms to facilitate staff and equipment movement during mass casualty events
- Specialized support: A dedicated trauma equipment room ensures readiness for complex and specialized cases
“We designed these rooms to give our team the space and tools they need to do what they do best — save lives,” Coya said.
The new hospital’s location at the junction of I-26 and I-526 means faster EMS access from all directions, especially critical for trauma patients suffering from major injuries like penetrating wounds, high falls or severe burns.
“Right now, some of those patients don’t come to us by ambulance because we’re not a designated trauma center,” said Coya. “That will change.”
The shift to becoming a trauma center requires infrastructure, technology, education and dedicated staffing. Roper St. Francis Healthcare is already laying the groundwork. Coya, a certified trauma instructor through the Emergency Nurses Association, has helped train over 140 nurses in trauma care since 2021.
“We’re continuing to build expertise across the system,” she said. “That includes trauma readiness and regular simulation training to sharpen our response.”
Eventually, the trauma program will include a trauma coordinator and trauma surgeons on staff — but the heart of it will always be the team.
“We thrive on collaboration in the ER,” Coya said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to help shape a space where that teamwork will elevate the level of care we can provide.”
Coya sees trauma care as more than what happens inside hospital walls, she said. It also involves educating the community, particularly around rising injury trends involving e-bikes and golf carts.
“Becoming a trauma center comes with a responsibility to teach and support prevention,” she said. “We’ve seen accidents with tragic outcomes. We want to be part of making our community safer.”
Coya began her ER nursing journey in Connecticut in 2011 and has managed the Roper Hospital ED since 2019. For her, being involved in the hospital’s next chapter is both personal and professional.
“I love being an ER nurse. Teamwork is the backbone of everything we do.” she said. “It’s an honor to help design a new facility that will elevate the care we provide with the addition of trauma services. I’m proud to be part of this team and this moment.”