EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Know the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for your workplace. Every venue will have a different EAP. You may even be responsible to create the EAP for the field, court, gymnasium, stadium, etc you work in. It is important to educate everyone involved in the EAP on their role and practice the plan.
1. Check the scene: When approaching an athlete a survey of the scene should be done first. If the scene is unsafe the athlete should be moved into a safe environment. When the athlete and examining team are in a safe environment the examiner should then move into the initial assessment of the athlete.
2. Primary Survey: This survey is done to check for potentially life threatening injuries or situations. Level of consciousness, airway, breathing, circulation, severe bleeding, and shock are all checked for. These elements need to be taken care of before any other care is given. If the athlete is in a life-threatening situation they should be transported to an emergency care facility. An injured patient that is conscious and stable does not require a primary survey.
3. Levels of Consciousness: An unconscious athlete is considered to have a life threatening injury and the ATC must call 911. If the athlete is unconscious the next step is to stabilize the cervical spine. Life support for the unconscious patient should be monitored and maintained until emergency medical personnel arrive. Once the patient is stabilized the secondary survey can begin.
4. Secondary Survey: Gathers more specific information about the injury. The survey is done to uncover problems that are not an immediate threat but may become so if not corrected and treated.
Check vital signs (if necessary) and symptoms are established.
a. Pulse
b. Respiration
c. Blood pressure
d. Temperature
e. Skin color
f. Pupils
g.Abnormal nerve response
Once vitals are established the musculoskeletal assessment can begin.
5. Treatment considerations
Athletic trainer must be prepared to provide first aid. Depending on the situation splinting, immobilizing, compression, controlling bleeding, and various other treatments may be required.
6. Transportation from field or court
Transporting the injured athlete must be practiced with techniques that will prevent further injury. Take into consideration all the possible transport methods that may be needed, equipment, and necessary people for them to be successful.
(Prentice, 2006)
JEOPARDY QUESTIONS:
1) You come upon an athlete in the weight room who is alone and laying on the floor. Before any other action takes place, this must be done first.
2) An athlete goes down during a football game after taking a hard block. When you approach him, he is able to respond to your questions but is in a lot of pain. This is the next action you would take.
3) The first hour of an injury, the most critical hour in treating an injury.
Know the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for your workplace. Every venue will have a different EAP. You may even be responsible to create the EAP for the field, court, gymnasium, stadium, etc you work in. It is important to educate everyone involved in the EAP on their role and practice the plan.
1. Check the scene: When approaching an athlete a survey of the scene should be done first. If the scene is unsafe the athlete should be moved into a safe environment. When the athlete and examining team are in a safe environment the examiner should then move into the initial assessment of the athlete.
2. Primary Survey: This survey is done to check for potentially life threatening injuries or situations. Level of consciousness, airway, breathing, circulation, severe bleeding, and shock are all checked for. These elements need to be taken care of before any other care is given. If the athlete is in a life-threatening situation they should be transported to an emergency care facility. An injured patient that is conscious and stable does not require a primary survey.
3. Levels of Consciousness: An unconscious athlete is considered to have a life threatening injury and the ATC must call 911. If the athlete is unconscious the next step is to stabilize the cervical spine. Life support for the unconscious patient should be monitored and maintained until emergency medical personnel arrive. Once the patient is stabilized the secondary survey can begin.
4. Secondary Survey: Gathers more specific information about the injury. The survey is done to uncover problems that are not an immediate threat but may become so if not corrected and treated.
Check vital signs (if necessary) and symptoms are established.
a. Pulse
b. Respiration
c. Blood pressure
d. Temperature
e. Skin color
f. Pupils
g.Abnormal nerve response
Once vitals are established the musculoskeletal assessment can begin.
5. Treatment considerations
Athletic trainer must be prepared to provide first aid. Depending on the situation splinting, immobilizing, compression, controlling bleeding, and various other treatments may be required.
6. Transportation from field or court
Transporting the injured athlete must be practiced with techniques that will prevent further injury. Take into consideration all the possible transport methods that may be needed, equipment, and necessary people for them to be successful.
(Prentice, 2006)
JEOPARDY QUESTIONS:
1) You come upon an athlete in the weight room who is alone and laying on the floor. Before any other action takes place, this must be done first.
2) An athlete goes down during a football game after taking a hard block. When you approach him, he is able to respond to your questions but is in a lot of pain. This is the next action you would take.
3) The first hour of an injury, the most critical hour in treating an injury.