Exertional Heat Illnesses Gone Wrong: Case Failure Points

Course Description: This presentation focuses on the effective management of exertional heat stroke in athletics. This course will provide an in-depth understanding of the underlying principles and best practices for managing this type of medical emergency. Participants will also learn how to identify and address common causes of failures in preparing for exertional heat stroke management. The presentation will also review and analyze the core components of the emergency action plan (EAP) and how they can impact the ability to manage medical emergencies. By the end of this course, participants will be able to develop effective and practical procedures for managing exertional heat stroke in athletics and improve their performance in this critical area. BOC Domains of Athletic Training: Domain I - Risk Reduction, Wellness, and Health Literacy Domain II Clinical Evaluation and Diagnosis Domain Ill - Critical Incident Management Domain V - Healthcare Administration and Professional Responsibility Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: Develop effective and practical procedures for managing exertional heat stroke in athletics based on a thorough understanding of the underlying principles and best practices. Identify the common causes of failures in preparing for exertional heat stroke management in athletics, and develop strategies to improve future performance in this critical area. Review and analyze core components of the emergency action plan (EAP) can impact the ability to manage medical emergencies. Practice Gap: Athletic trainers and other healthcare providers may lack a thorough understanding of the underlying principles and best practices for managing exertional heat stroke in athletics, leading to common failures in preparing for and managing this type of medical emergency. This knowledge gap may result in delayed or ineffective treatment and a lack of coordination among emergency responders during athletic events. Furthermore, healthcare providers may not have a clear understanding of the core components of the emergency action plan (EAP) and how to use it to manage medical emergencies. As a result, there is a critical need for training and education to address these gaps and ensure the safety and well-being of athletes during athletic events. This presentation aims to address these gaps and provide practical strategies for the effective management of exertional heat stroke in athletics. Clinical Bottom Line: The clinical bottom line of this presentation is the importance of developing effective and practical procedures for managing exertional heat stroke in athletics. This requires a thorough understanding of the underlying principles and best practices and identifying and addressing common causes of failures in preparing for exertional heat stroke management. Additionally, reviewing and analyzing the core components of the emergency action plan (EAP) can significantly impact the ability to manage medical emergencies. By implementing these strategies, medical professionals can improve their performance in managing exertional heat stroke and ensure the safety and well-being of athletes during athletic events. Summary Conclusions: Effective and practical procedures for managing exertional heat stroke in athletics are critical for the safety and well-being of athletes. Understanding the underlying principles and best practices for managing exertional heat stroke is essential. Identifying and addressing common causes of failures in preparing for exertional heat stroke management can significantly improve performance in this critical area. A thorough review and analysis of the core components of the emergency action plan (EAP) can greatly impact the ability to manage medical emergencies during athletic events. Healthcare professionals and coaches involved in the management of athletic events should take this course to improve their performance and ensure athlete safety.

Rod Walters, DA, ATC, SCAT BIOGRAPHY Walters received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degree from Appalachian State University. Upon graduation, he became a collegiate athletic trainer at Lenoir-Rhyne College. In 1985, he transitioned to his alma mater as Head Athletic Trainer and remained there until moving to the University of South Carolina in 1990. Rod coordinated the healthcare of student-athletes at these universities for 27 years. During the summers from 1984 to 1986, he began work on his Doctorate of Arts degree at Middle Tennessee State University and received it in 1988. In 2007 he transitioned to the consulting community providing consultations, education, and is an excellent resource to his clients. Walters served on the National Athletic Trainers Association’s Board of Directors from 1997 to 2003. Prior to that, he was District Secretary where he represented the NATA’s members from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, DC, and Maryland. Rod served on many initiatives within NATA including the Membership Task Force, the College/University Athletic Trainers' Committee (2005-2007) and is currently a member of both the Professional Responsibility in Athletic Training Committee and the Hall of Fame’s Special Considerations Committee. He served NATA as the liaison to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine from 2003 to 2009 and also was liaison to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics from 2003 to 2006. The Maryland Board of Regents selected Walters as the lead investigator of the exertional heat stroke death of University of Maryland student-athlete, Jordan McNair. Walters acclaimed national media for the report and investigation. In 2019, Walters also worked on the Braeden Bradforth exertional heat stroke death investigation at Garden City Community College, in Garden City, Kansas. Walters is very active in sports medicine providing program review and recommendations for best practices to clients from high schools to colleges and universities to professional sports. He has become a sought after expert for incidents in and around sports. His work includes review of Emergency Action Plans, concussion care, sudden cardiac death and general orthopedic injury. It can be said Rod is one of the leading experts specific to sports injury including concussions, sudden death, or exertional conditions. Walters provides concussion monitoring services to the Big 12 as he coordinates their Football Medical Observer program. Walters was the lead ATC Spotter for the 2019 Super Bowl and has served the NFL as an AT Spotter since 2013. Walters was asked to direct the University of Maryland’s inaugural Athletic Medicine Review Board and also serves on the University of Georgia Athletic Medicine Review Board. Walters recently received recognition from the National Athletic Trainers Association for 50 years of membership. He was recognized as a Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer in 2003 and inducted into the NATA’s Hall of Fame in 2005. Walters is also a member of the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers Association’s Hall of Fame. Walters received the 2011 Distinguished Athletic Training Alumni Award from his alma mater Middle Tennessee State University as the 2018 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the University of South Carolina. He is a member of the NATA’s Professional Responsibility in Athletic Training Committee. Through evidenced-based education courses, Walters offers seminars on a variety of topics including exertional heat stroke and Emergency Action Plans. His attendees range from high school athletic trainers to professional sports. Walters is married to Susan Ferguson of Columbia, SC, and they have four children and nine grandchildren. The grandchildren affectionately refer to Walters as Doc. Walters enjoys woodworking in his free time.

Action Medicine Consultants, LLC (BOC AP#: P12095) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs). This program is eligible for a maximum of 1.0 Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program. GENERAL DISCLAIMER: It is the responsibility of the participant, relying on the independent expertise and knowledge of the patient, to determine the best treatment and method of application for the patient. Participants must use discretion when using the information contained within this presentation.  The presenter has provided the following regarding disclaimers: The information and content provided in this course are for informational purposes only. The presenter nor Action Medicine Consultants, LLC bears no liability for your use of this information and content. The views expressed in this course are those of the presenter(s). CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: In compliance with continuing education requirements, all presenters must disclose any financial or other associations with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or product(s) under investigational use.  This presentation does not involve the unlabeled use of a product or product under investigational use.  During the presentation, the presenter provides disclosure of any relevant financial relationships or other associations.  Refund Policy:  Live (virtual or in-person) Courses - Full refunds (Minus 10% for handling fees) are given after completion of the course if cancellation request is received 14 days prior to the course date. No refunds will be given after this deadline, but fees may be applied to another current or a future course. This also applies to virtual courses if a technical issue occurred on the presenter side that prevented a full presentation from being performed. On-Demand Courses - No refunds will be given, but fees may be applied to another current or a future course if there is a technical issue in Action Medicine Consultant's delivery of the course and in which no certificate of completion was issued.