Fourteen Legal Duties of Athletic Personnel – Duties #11 and #12 [NIAAA]

By: John Evers, CMAA | NIAAA

DUTY TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY CARE

In simple terms, the duty to provide emergency care requires that coaches, volunteers and staff be trained in CPR and basic First Aid. They should also have some understanding of basic skills of athletic training.

1. Schools should provide CPR training for all staff
2. Schools should provide basic First Aid training for all staff
3. Athletic department should track all training for all paid staff
4. Athletic department should track all training for all volunteers
5. NFHS course content should be used whenever possible
6. Athletic training staff should provide on-going professional development

Additional Considerations:

1. Any staff working in aquatic setting should have current life-saving training
2. Any staff working in aquatic setting should be Water Safety Instruction designation (WSI)

Other Strategies:

1. AED should be readily available at all athletic venues
2. Staff should be trained in AED use
3. Signs should be posted with locations for AED's
4. AED's should be checked on a regular basis to insure operational status
5. Mock emergencies should be planned and implemented on a regular basis
6. Release time should be allowed for staff training

Documentation:

1. All CPR training for all staff should be documented and maintained
2. All Basic First Aid training for staff should be documented and maintained

DUTY TO DEVELOP/FOLLOW AN EMERGENCY CARE PLAN

Emergency Response Plans should be the key component of your Emergency Care Plan

Advanced Planning:

1. Create emergency cards for every athlete and have available at all venues
2. Cards can be electronic or hard copy
3. All emergency information must be contained and constantly updated

Emergency Response Plan:

1. Should be created for every practice and game location.
2. Should be carried in printed or electronic format at ALL times
   • Plan should include all pertinent data and contact information
   • Plan should include the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW
3. Plan should be practiced to deal with a variety of scenarios
4. Local emergency personnel should be part of any practice scenario

Other Considerations:

1. Develop plan to manage un-injured team members during emergency protocol
2. Monitor and stock all first aid kits on a regular basis (and document)
3. Ensure access to spine boards or other emergency response equipment as necessary
4. Ensure access to telephone and all information to contact local EMS services
5. Place coaches or team members at access points to direct local EMS to site

Some best practices:

1. Update emergency response plans every year
2. File current and former response plans as documentation
3. Document each practice session as completed
4. Ask local first responders for guidance and evaluation of emergency response plan
5. Include all athletes, coaches and staff in practice planning
6. Include all athletes, coaches and staff in evaluation of emergency response practices

Athletic Handbooks and Web Sites

1. Place emergency response plan information in all coaching and student athletic handbooks.
2. Place all emergency response information on school athletic web site.
3. A sports medicine handbook could be produced for all coaches and staff