Athletic Trainer JobThe duties of the athletic trainer include, but are not limited to, prevention of athletic injuries, recognition, evaluation, and immediate care of athletic injuries, rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries, health care administration, and professional development and responsibility as specified in the Domains of the NATA Certified Athletic Trainer. The athletic trainer serves as a liaison between physicians, coaches, athletes, and parents. The athletic trainer ensures that players participate only when physically able and that any physician instructions are understood and followed. The athletic trainer will coordinate with the Activities/Athletic Director to ensure that the athletic trainer will attend to the athletic training room and all required events.
Position requirements:
The athletic trainer must be certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATA BOC) and maintain the standards established by the NATA's role delineation study. The athletic trainer must be a member in good standing of the NATA.The athletic trainer must be a member in good standing of NATA District. The athletic trainer must be a member in good standing of the (State) Athletic Trainers Association. This may include state licensure and/or registration.
Specific duties:
In cooperation with the principal, the Activities/Athletics Director, the athletic trainer must:
Develop plans for providing athletic trainer coverage at all interscholastic athletic events identified in Athletic Training Program Coverage Policy.
Establish daily hours of operation for the athletic training room.
Develop a comprehensive emergency action plan for their specific facilities.
Initiate and administer an athletic training student aide program in accordance with the schools' clubs and activities guidelines.
Establish a working relationship with a designated team physician and community physicians.
Complete (school systems) Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan training and comply with the regulations therein.
Maintain adequate medical quality records on all injuries and rehabilitation procedures.
Comply with any and all policies regarding health care delivery as indicated by the (school system) regulations, and outlined in the Athletic Injury Management section of the (school) Athletic Training Program Policies and Procedures Manual.
Athletic Trainer Job Responsibilities:
The athletic trainer will provide athletic health care for home contests on a schedule cooperatively determined by athletic trainer and athletic director, as well as attend most varsity contests, non-varsity contests in football and varsity football away-games. Varsity and selected non-varsity contests will be worked based on the risk of the sports and the availability of the athletic trainer during a particular sport season. Practice attendance will be determined by athletic trainer and athletic director and will typically include daily attendance of varsity and non-varsity sports. This availability will be based upon injury risk of the sport and other mutually agreed upon factors. The athletic trainer will work selected post-season contests as determined by the athletic trainer and athletic director. The athletic trainer will provide for the prevention of athletic injuries through the application of protective tapings, wraps, and braces, and assist in the design of practices to help to reduce the incidence of injury. The AT will advise coaches of flexibility, strengthening, and conditioning programs to help prevent injuries and optimize performance. The athletic trainer will provide immediate care of athletic injuries and refer the athlete to medical facilities when necessary. The AT will design and supervise rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries under the direction of a referring physician. Medical histories and correspondence will also be kept on file in the athletic training room. The athletic trainer will maintain accurate medical records for injuries, treatment, rehabilitation, and physician referrals. The AT will be responsible for budgeting, ordering, and inventorying athletic training supplies. The athletic trainer will supervise athletic training student aides from the sports medicine program. The AT will counsel and advise student athletes on health-related issues, including nutrition and substance abuse. The AT will conduct sports medicine workshops for the district's coaches. These workshops will include information on injury prevention, basic first aid and CPR, injury recognition and treatment, and injury rehabilitation. In addition, they will provide specific information on blood borne pathogens, HIV/AIDS, the district's Sports Medicine Protocols, and other health-related topics. The athletic trainer may serve as a consultant to the middle school athletic program by advising middle school student athletes in the athletic training room on an appointment basis. The AT may advise and assist with equipment purchases and fittings. The athletic trainer maintains open channels of communication with coaches, parents, and physicians regarding athletic injuries, treatment, and rehabilitation. The athletic trainer may market the athletic training program within the school district and the medical community through newsletters, brochures, media contacts, etc. The athletic trainer is responsible to the Athletic Director and is supervised by the Team Physicians. The athletic trainer/educator should be given release time in consideration for the additional hours worked in providing sports medical care to athletes and supervising sports medicine students after regular school hours.
