CLINICAL EXPERIENCE, SUPERVISION & PRACTICE

 

Students enrolled in the ATEP are expected to practice, and eventually master, the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom throughout their clinical experiences. The quantity and quality of learning that occurs in the clinical experience is greatly affected by the supervision that clinical instructors provide. Without adequate supervision students do not have the opportunity to receive positive or negative feedback on their progress towards mastery of the athletic training proficiencies. Students should expect direct supervision during all clinical experiences. Clinical instructors are encouraged to provide the athletic training student with independence in the clinical decision-making process, however the instructor must be present to intervene if needed. If a student believes he or she is not receiving an adequate amount of direct supervision they should bring the matter to the attention of the Athletic Training Education Program Director or Chair of the Health Science Department.

The ATEP has created policies for students and clinical instructors to follow while they gain clinical experience in LHU’s athletic training rooms or affiliated sites. These policies are in place to maximize the learning that occurs during these experiences while protecting the students from being used as a workforce or violations of the state’s athletic training practice act rules and regulations. Students, staff and faculty are strongly encouraged to report any violations of these policies to the Athletic Training Education Program Director or Chair of the Health Science Department. These policies are to be followed whenever students are gaining clinical experience (except when noted).

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   • Students will be expected to follow the policies and procedures related to clinical experience as outlined in the LHU athletic training student handbook.
   • Students will attend all clinical experience meetings.
   • Students will on average perform not more than 20 hours of clinical experience in a given week. This guideline is in effect from the first day of classes in the fall semester until the end of the spring semester excluding winter break.
   • Students will have a minimum of one day per week when they will not be expected to attend their clinical experience. This guideline is in effect from the first day of classes in the fall semester until the end of the spring semester excluding winter break.
   • Students will be expected to return to campus before the start of classes in the fall, remain on-campus over holiday periods during the academic year and/or remain on-campus until spring graduation if required by their clinical experience assignment.
   • Students will only perform athletic training skills while under the direct supervision of a certified athletic trainer.

Travel to away contests

Students enrolled in the ATEP may choose to travel with a team even if a certified athletic trainer is not travelling with the team. This travel is voluntary and at no point should athletic training students be pressured into travelling. In these situations, the student should practice as a first responder only. The head athletic trainer has a budget to pay students to travel as first responders. Several policies have been created specifically for the role a student may play while traveling with a team without a clinical instructor. These policies are necessitated by both our accrediting agency as well as Pennsylvania State Law. They are also in place to reduce liability for the student and Lock Haven University.

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  • Students must act only as a first responder.
  • Students must not make return to play decisions. The host athletic trainer should make these decisions. The coach, as an employee of the institution, should make the decision if the host ATC does not. The student should not have input in this decision.
  • Referral decisions (i.e. MD, Emergency room) should be made by the host athletic trainer.

The student should not make a return to play decision following an injury or the decision to tape an athlete so they can return to play with an acute injury. It is best if these individuals are evaluated and treated by the host athletic trainer. The coach is a higher authority as an employee of the institution and should make this decision if the host ATC does not.

 

The Roles of First Responders
A list of typical first responder skills has been developed. This list is not all inclusive, however. Students and clinical instructors are encouraged to direct questions about additional skills to the Athletic Training Education Program Director. Remember, these can and cannot’s are in place to prevent students from violating state law and limit liability.

First Responders Can:

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  • Provide lifesaving emergency care (i.e. CPR, care for obstructed airway).
  • Activate EMS.
  • Perform first aid skills (i.e. splinting, stop bleeding).
  • Apply an ice, compression and elevation to an injury.
  • Perform preventative taping.
  • Perform or assist in preventative stretching.
  • Perform basic wound care.

 

First Responders Cannot:

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  • Apply modalities (with the exception of ice).
  • Make return to play decisions.
  • Perform advanced evaluation techniques such as joint stability tests.
  • Apply rehabilitation techniques or develop rehabilitation programs.