Volume 19: Issue 2

Context

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of sport-related deaths in young athletes. Athletic training students must understand cardiovascular anatomy and physiology in addition to pathophysiology to appropriately care for patients with cardiovascular conditions.

Objective

Describe a teaching technique to actively engage students in lecture about cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and electrocardiograms.

Background

Drawing for retention is an educational technique used in medical education to help students recognize patterns, reinforce knowledge, and retain information. Using drawing for abstract concepts that cannot always be visualized or applied enhances comprehension.

Description

An educational technique using drawing for retention to teach cardiovascular concepts, conditions, and basic electrocardiogram interpretation was implemented in an emergency care in athletic training course. The instructor drew and lectured on concepts of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, electrocardiograms, and interventions while the students drew and took notes on the concepts.

Educational Advantage(s)

Students describe this activity as a beneficial way to learn and apply cardiovascular anatomy and physiology to cardiovascular conditions and treatment.

Conclusions

Faculty may consider implementing drawing for retention as an active learning technique to engage students with complex or abstract topics.

We thank our 2023 manuscript reviewers for their hard work and dedication.

Alyssa S. Anderson, PhD, LAT, ATC

Barton E. Anderson, DHSc, ATC

Amanda M. Andrews, EdD, ATC

Patricia Aronson, PhD, ATC

Jennifer Austin, PhD, ATC

Garth J. Babcock, PhD, ATC

Eileen Bennett, MS, ATC

Jessica L. Bennett, MS, ATC

Richard J. Boergers, PhD, ATC

Debbie Bradney, PhD, ATC

Anthony P. Breitbach, PhD, ATC, LAT

Christopher D. Brown, PhD, ATC

Trisha M. Brown, EdD, ATC

Lynette M. Carlson, DHSc, ATC

Brittany A. Clason, EdD, ATC

Gary W. Cohen, PhD, ATC

J’nai Coles, MSEd, LAT, ATC, OTC

Neil Curtis, EdD, ATC

Context

Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is a required component of athletic training education, yet more needs to be learned about how professional and residency programs integrate IPCP into their curricula.

Objective

Identify current strategies used in the integration, assessment, and quality of IPCP clinical experiences in athletic training programs.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Patients or Other Participants

Forty-two of the 288 (14.6% response rate) invited individuals participated. All reported being faculty members affiliated with a professional or residency athletic training program.

Data Collection and Analysis

The IPCP implementation and assessment was e-mailed to all accredited professional and residency program directors to evaluate: (1) institutional or organizational support for and integration of IPCP; (2) faculty, learner, or preceptor preparation for IPCP engagement; and (3) tools for assessment and quality of IPCP experiences. Survey instrumentation was validated through peer and expert review. Descriptive statistics were calculated for quantitative data, and open coding was used to analyze open-ended questions.

Results

Respondents reported favorable support from their institution or organization (administrative, financial, and organizational structure) to integrate IPCP experiences. The most common methods for IPCP implementation included clinical simulations (n = 22, 22.9%), grand rounds (n = 13, 13.5%), morbidity and mortality conferences (n = 3, 3.1%), journal clubs (n = 6, 6.3%), direct patient care (n = 14, 14.9%), and intentional clinical education experiences (n = 28, 29.2%). Respondents reported formal IPCP training for faculty (n = 7, 16.7%) and learners (n = 23, 54.8%) but not for preceptors (n = 25, 73.5%). While programs assess their learners’ IPCP experiences (n = 25, 59.5%), the quality of those experiences is not formally captured (n = 19, 45.2%).

Conclusion(s)

Interprofessional collaborative practice experiences within athletic training education continue to evolve. As such, in this study, we highlight the need for formalized training in IPCP for faculty, learners, and preceptors. Additionally, program faculty should consider implementing quality assessments of IPCP experiences to assess the quality and degree to which learners experience interprofessional collaboration.

Context

Transition to practice (TTP) is a period of growth in which new athletic trainers (ATs) respond to stressful changes and develop confidence and self-efficacy. Employers have an important role in TTP.

Objective

To explore multiple stakeholders’ perceptions of ways for organizations to support new ATs during TTP.

Design

Qualitative study.

Patients or Other Participants

Athletic trainers from 3 stakeholder groups participated, guided by data saturation: 10 faculty members and 8 preceptors (age = 43 ± 10 years, experience = 11 ± 12 years), 16 supervisors of newly credentialed ATs (age = 52 ± 11 years), and 17 early professional ATs (age = 26 ± 5 years, experience = 9.5 ± 5 months).

Data Collection and Analysis

Participants were recruited via purposive sampling through an e-mail blast from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Participants were interviewed via phone or Web-based platform using a semistructured interview guide. Data were analyzed through consensual qualitative review. Trustworthiness was established via peer review and multianalyst triangulation.

Results

Four themes emerged. Employers felt they had a responsibility in mentoring new ATs and assisting with professional socialization. Onboarding described the organizational processes used to orient new ATs to their roles, including formal orientation, mentoring, evaluation, and feedback. Additionally, support was provided to new ATs through informal mentoring, relationships with coworkers, and professional development. Support often extended beyond professional needs to address personal challenges. Conflicting priorities occurred when employers wanted to provide more mentoring but were limited from other responsibilities and differences between employees’ and employers’ expectations of work-life balance.

Conclusions

To build on professional education, employers should provide comprehensive onboarding, formal mentoring, and informal personal and professional support. However, challenges may arise when their own clinical requirements limit the time they can spend mentoring new ATs. Organizations should ensure supervisors have adequate support to assist in the TTP for new ATs. Educators can prepare students to engage in dialog on work-life balance, expectations, and compensation to assist with TTP.

Reliability and Validity of the Functional Assessment of Neurocognition in Sport (FANS): A Paradigm Shift in Post-Concussion Return-to-Sport Decision-Making

Landon B. LempkePhD, ATC,

Benjamin L. BrettPhD, and

Douglas P. TerryPhD,ABPP