Had to call for an ambulance today

[MedicDelta]

I work as one of the athletic trainers for my high school football team and today we had a guy take a hit and was laying there complaining of severe pain(9.5/10) in his lumbar spine region, with more severe pain on palpation. So me, along with the other trainer decided to play it safe and call for an ambulance, hopefully nothing like that ever happens again!

 

[vcuemt]

I have never had a patient give pain in half steps.

 

[MedicDelta]

I have never had a patient give pain in half steps.

Honestly neither have I until today lol

 

[ghost02]

Congrats?
How was his pms distal to the pain?

 

[Handsome Robb]

I have never had a patient give pain in half steps.

Had it happen plenty of times. Normally it's "a 9 or 10" but definitely heard a few hands before.

 

[wanderingmedic]

I work as one of the athletic trainers for my high school football team and today we had a guy take a hit and was laying there complaining of severe pain(9.5/10) in his lumbar spine region, with more severe pain on palpation. So me, along with the other trainer decided to play it safe and call for an ambulance, hopefully nothing like that ever happens again!

Are you also an EMT or Medic? Interesting combination as an athletic trainer. I used to work for a sports medicine firm - it was great experience, and I'm always blown away at how thorough Athletic Trainer's assessments are. Just out of curiosity, what do your protocols/physician relationship look like?

 

[MedicDelta]

Are you also an EMT or Medic? Interesting combination as an athletic trainer. I used to work for a sports medicine firm - it was great experience, and I'm always blown away at how thorough Athletic Trainer's assessments are. Just out of curiosity, what do your protocols/physician relationship look like?

I'm an Emergency Medical Responder(Canadian level, comparable to EMT-B) but I have certifications in Athletic Injury Management and Sport Taping and Strapping. If you're referring to a medical director, we have none. I simply follow the protocols that I was taught in my EMR or Athletic Trainer classes. We also don't have a team physician because we're only a high school level team, but I have had to refer a player to see his personal physician before for an assessment due to a possible concussion.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

I'm an Emergency Medical Responder(Canadian level, comparable to EMT-B) but I have certifications in Athletic Injury Management and Sport Taping and Strapping. If you're referring to a medical director, we have none. I simply follow the protocols that I was taught in my EMR or Athletic Trainer classes. We also don't have a team physician because we're only a high school level team, but I have had to refer a player to see his personal physician before for an assessment due to a possible concussion.

Not knocking what you do, but are ATs allowed to practice in Canada without an MD? I know in the states you require ATC, LAT, and sometimes both, and a medical director of some sort. I have worked with many groups where our MD was just an ortho that one of us worked for. Or, that MD could be right there with us. That is all up to the AT-MD agreement. The point is, the AT is always under an overseeing physician. Very similar to EMT/Medic. The shady jobs are the ones lacking a medical director of some sort.

 

[MedicDelta]

Not knocking what you do, but are ATs allowed to practice in Canada without an MD? I know in the states you require ATC, LAT, and sometimes both, and a medical director of some sort. I have worked with many groups where our MD was just an ortho that one of us worked for. Or, that MD could be right there with us. That is all up to the AT-MD agreement. The point is, the AT is always under an overseeing physician. Very similar to EMT/Medic. The shady jobs are the ones lacking a medical director of some sort.

Because it's only high school level we aren't required to have a Medical Director. And I believe that is the same nation wide. If it were college level I believe they have a Medical Director/team physician. Being an Athletic Trainer in Canada is very different then being one in the US though. Me and the other trainer didn't go to college/university to become one, we only have certifications in certain areas such as Athletic Injury Management, Taping, the other trainer has a certification in massage therapy. In the US the only way to become an Athletic Trainer is to actually go to college and get a degree(I think), but in Canada some governing bodies offer basic courses for being an Athletic Trainer. Hopefully that made sense.

 

[MedicDelta]

I did some research, in Canada the only way to become what is considered an Athletic Trainer in the US with a college degree is to become an Athletic Therapist. That's what it is called in Canada when you've actually gone to college to become a Trainer.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

Thank you for the clarification. Here the MD is required to practice on any level. I've had them for 8 y/o volleyball and on up to collegiate sports. I can say for certain that the way it works in Texas is you attend a program of Kinesiology, Sports Medicine, Athletic Training, or anything along those lines, and can then take the licensure test (LAT) to practice in the state. The national certification, ATC, can only be tested for after attending an AT program that is CAATE accredited (same thing with Paramedic programs and NRP, just different accrediting bodies). In Texas and most states you have to have the licensure (LAT) in order to practice. It is ATC that allows reciprocity, in addition to working outside of state borders (ie, working with college or pro sports requires an LAT and ATC). That said, some states use the ATC as their license as well.

 

[MedicDelta]

Thank you for the clarification. Here the MD is required to practice on any level. I've had them for 8 y/o volleyball and on up to collegiate sports. I can say for certain that the way it works in Texas is you attend a program of Kinesiology, Sports Medicine, Athletic Training, or anything along those lines, and can then take the licensure test (LAT) to practice in the state. The national certification, ATC, can only be tested for after attending an AT program that is CAATE accredited (same thing with Paramedic programs and NRP, just different accrediting bodies). In Texas and most states you have to have the licensure (LAT) in order to practice. It is ATC that allows reciprocity, in addition to working outside of state borders (ie, working with college or pro sports requires an LAT and ATC). That said, some states use the ATC as their license as well.

Yeah me and the other trainer aren't licensed or anything, only certified. We aren't performing any 'advanced' procedures though. Athletic Therapists in Canada are required to be licensed though. But as I mentioned they are usually only apart of professional teams, college/university and so on.