Course Info (Description; Learning Objectives; Practice Gap; Clinical Bottom Line; Summary Conclusions)

Course Description:

In January 2023, Damar Hamlin, a player for the NFL Buffalo Bills, experienced a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during Monday Night Football which was witnessed by millions of viewers, athletes, coaches, and spectators. The incident highlighted the effectiveness of a well-executed emergency action plan (EAP), which is essential for all sports activities, including high schools and colleges. While high schools typically have limited resources, athletic trainers serve as the first line of defense for injuries if present and if not fall on coaches. Therefore, it is crucial to have an interdisciplinary and comprehensive emergency action plan (EAP) that address all types of catastrophic injuries, including those caused by natural and man-made events using an “all-hazards approach". This session will utilize a comparative analysis approach between NFL and high schools in outlining the 7 key components essential to all athletic EAPs.

BOC Domains of Athletic Training:

• Domain I - Risk Reduction, Wellness, and Health Literacy
  

• Domain Ill - Critical Incident Management
  

• Domain V - Healthcare Administration and Professional Responsibility

Practice Gap:

Despite the potential life-saving benefits of a well-executed emergency action plan (EAP) in response to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and other catastrophic injuries during sports activities, many high schools with limited resources may not have an interdisciplinary and comprehensive EAP in place that addresses all types of injuries using an "all-hazards approach." As a result, athletic trainers, who serve as the first line of defense for injuries, may lack the necessary training and resources to effectively respond to such emergencies, leaving athletes at risk for serious harm. Therefore, there is a need for standardized guidelines and training for developing and implementing EAPs in high schools, particularly those that may have limited resources, to ensure that all athletes have access to appropriate emergency care.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify and analyze contemporary components of emergency action plans utilized in developing and implementing comprehensive policies and procedures.
• Analyze and implement continuous quality improvement processes to address stakeholder educational and practice gaps that may occur in the delivery of prehospital emergency care.
• Evaluate current accepted prehospital emergency standards of care with existing organizational procedures and protocols to modify and implement to ensure efficient interdisciplinary healthcare delivery.

Clinical Bottom Line:

Athletic trainers are often the first responders to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and other catastrophic injuries during sports activities, but many high schools with limited resources may not have a well-executed emergency action plan (EAP) in place that addresses all types of injuries. This may leave athletes at risk for serious harm, highlighting the need for standardized guidelines and training for developing and implementing EAPs in high schools. An interdisciplinary and comprehensive EAP that uses an "all-hazards approach" can ensure that all athletes have access to appropriate emergency care, potentially reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with sports-related injuries.

Summary Conclusions:

• The recent incident involving an NFL player's sudden cardiac arrest highlights the importance of a well-executed emergency action plan (EAP) for all sports activities, including high schools and colleges.
• Many high schools may lack the necessary resources to effectively respond to emergencies, leaving athletes at risk for serious harm. Therefore, there is a need for standardized guidelines and training for developing and implementing EAPs in high schools.
• Athletic trainers serve as the first line of defense for injuries during sports activities, and an interdisciplinary and comprehensive EAP that uses an "all-hazards approach" can ensure that all athletes have access to appropriate emergency care.
• The 7 key components essential to all athletic EAPs should be analyzed and implemented to ensure efficient interdisciplinary healthcare delivery and continuous quality improvement processes to address stakeholder educational and practice gaps.
• Developing and implementing comprehensive policies and procedures for emergency action plans can potentially reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with sports-related injuries. Standardized guidelines and training can ensure that all athletes have access to appropriate emergency care, regardless of the resources available at their school.