The Certified Athletic Trainer and the Sports Medicine Team

1. The Certified Athletic Trainer and the Sports Medicine Team Jennifer L. Doherty, MS, ATC, LAT, CIE Academic Program Director, ATEP Florida International University Management of Medical Emergencies

2. Sports Medicine • Generic term encompassing many different fields of study related to sport • Areas of specialization include: • Athletic Training • Biomechanics • Exercise Physiology • Physical Therapy • Sports Nutrition • Sports Psychology

3. Sports Medicine Team

4. Sports Medicine Team

5. Sports Medicine Team

6. Team Physician • The team physician has absolute authority in determining the health status of an athlete • Responsibilities: • Compiling Medical Histories • Diagnosing Injury • Deciding on Disqualification • Supervision of Certified Athletic Trainers

7. Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) • A Certified Athletic Trainer is an allied health care professional who specializes in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur in the physically active population and athletes

8. National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) • Founded in 1950 • Purpose: To build and strengthen the profession of athletic training through the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods of athletic training

9. National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) • Currently, there are more than 27,000 allied health care professionals that belong to the NATA • 69% of NATA members are ATC • 14% are Athletic Training Students (ATS) • 3% are allied health care professionals, and • 0.5% are international members

10. Traditional Employment Settings • Traditional Employment Settings • Professional sports • Colleges and Universities • Secondary schools • Non-traditional Employment Settings • Clinics • Offices • Factories • International avenues

11. Responsibilities of the Certified Athletic Trainer • Injury Prevention • Evaluation of injuries and illness, including medical referral • First Aid and Emergency Care • Rehabilitation and Reconditioning • Organization and Administration • Counseling and Guidance • Education

12. Injury Prevention • Physical examinations • Pre-participation screenings • Ensuring appropriate training and conditioning methods • Selecting and properly fitting protective equipment • Reducing and controlling environmental hazards

13. Evaluation of injuries and illness • On-field and clinical evaluations • Components of injury evaluation: • History • Observation • Palpation • Range of Motion • Neurovascular examination • Special Tests • Functional Tests

14. First Aid and Emergency Care • The ATC must be certified as a Professional Rescuer • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) • First Aid • Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training • Bloodborne Pathogen training

15. Rehabilitation and Reconditioning • Design, supervise, and modify injury rehabilitation programs in accordance with the healing process • Must understand the techniques of • Therapeutic Modalities • Therapeutic Rehabilitation

16. Organization and Administration • Budget Management • Requisition and inventory of supplies and equipment • Maintenance of Health/Injury Records • Confidentiality • Insurance • Liability • Supervision • Assistant Athletic Trainers • Graduate Assistants • Athletic Training Students

17. Counseling and Guidance • Not only responsible for athletic injuries • Must cultivate respect and trust from athletes • Serve as mentor, confidant • Assist in personal matters

18. Education • Educate athletes • Educate coaches • Educate parents • Educate students • Educate the general public

19. Education of ATCs • Must graduate from an entry-level accredited athletic training education program • Two main components: • Didactic component • Based on cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skill), and affective (professional behaviors) competencies • Clinical component • Based on professional, practice oriented outcomes called clinical proficiencies

20. Education of ATCs • Obtaining education in the competencies and clinical proficiencies through an accredited athletic training education program allows an ATS to be eligible to sit for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association - Board of Certification (NATA-BOC) examination

21. Education of ATCs

22. The ATC Credential • Once an ATS graduates from an accredited athletic training education program and passes that NATA-BOC examination, he/she is recognized by the NATA as a certified athletic trainer who is capable of performing the duties of the profession without threat of harm to the public

23. Personal Qualities of ATCs • Stamina and Adaptability • Prevents burnout • Empathy • Ability to detect stress with a desire to minimize that stress • Sense of Humor • Helps relieve tension and promote relaxation

24. Personal Qualities of ATCs • Ability to Communicate • Oral and written communication is necessary • Intellectual Curiosity • Lifelong commitment to learning • Ethics • High standard of conduct and integrity

25. The ATC • The Certified Athletic Trainer provides a major link between the sports medicine team and the medical community • The Certified Athletic Trainer implements procedures to prevent injuries and manage medical emergencies in addition to tending to the other responsibilities of the profession