scholarly journals Effect of Procedure Type on Core Competency Implementation by Athletic Training Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-214
Author(s):  
Julie M. Cavallario ◽  
Bonnie L. Van Lunen ◽  
Sarah A. Manspeaker

Context Core competencies (CCs) are now a required component of educational content in all types of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited athletic training programs. There is limited evidence demonstrating which procedures included during patient encounters (PEs) occurring in clinical education allow for implementation of CCs. Objective To determine the relationship between procedures performed by athletic training students during PEs on CC implementation. Design Panel design. Setting Undergraduate, professional athletic training program, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution. Patients or Other Participants We purposefully recruited 1 athletic training program that used E*Value (Medhub) software; 40 participants (31 female, 9 male) enrolled in the professional phase (12 first year, 14 second year, 14 third year) participated. Interventions Participants viewed a 20 minute recorded CC education module followed by educational handouts, which were available online for reference throughout the semester. E*Value was used to track procedures (prevention, evaluation, manual therapy, rehabilitation, treatment, diagnostic, surgical, or other) performed during PEs and an added block of questions indicating which, if any, of the CCs were implemented during the PE. Main Outcome Measure(s) Independent variables included procedures performed during PEs and whether any of the 6 CCs were implemented (yes/no). Binary logistic regression models determined how the type of procedure performed related to the implementation of each CC. Results Regression models were significant for 5 of the 6 CCs: patient-centered care (PCC; {\rm{\chi }}_7^2 = 62.949, P < .001), interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP; {\rm{\chi }}_6^2 = 41.172, P < .001), health care informatics ({\rm{\chi }}_7^2 = 186.487, P < .001), evidence-based practice (EBP) ({\rm{\chi }}_8^2 = 54.712, P < .001), and quality improvement ({\rm{\chi }}_7^2 = 67.967, P < .001). Participants including evaluation procedures during PE were 3.6 and 1.3 times more likely to implement PCC and IPECP, respectively. Participants including a diagnostic procedure were 4.2 and 2.9 times more likely to implement EBP and IPECP, respectively, and 0.2 times less likely to implement health care informatics. Participants incorporating a manual therapy procedure were 2.6, 1.7, and 2.1 times more likely to implement PCC, EBP, and quality improvement, respectively. Conclusions Athletic training program administrators should identify clinical sites that allow for PEs and procedural opportunities that align with priorities for greater CC implementation.

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cailee E. Welch Bacon ◽  
Bonnie L. Van Lunen ◽  
Dorice A. Hankemeier

Context: Over a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine indicated that all health care professionals should be educated in several health care competency areas (quality improvement, health care informatics, interprofessional education and collaborative practice, evidence-based practice, and patient-centered care). Despite this initiative, athletic training has only recently incorporated these competencies throughout education. Objective: To assess postprofessional athletic training students' perceived abilities and importance regarding 6 core competencies. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Self-reported paper survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 221 from a convenience sample of 258 postprofessional athletic training students (85.7%) completed the survey (82 males, 138 females; age = 23.29 ± 2.05 years). Main Outcome Measure(s): The survey consisted of several concept statements for each competency, and perceptions were collected via Likert-scale items (range 1–4). Composite perceived ability and importance Likert-scale scores were achieved by tabulating all values and then averaging the scores back to the Likert scale. Higher scores indicated that participants perceived themselves to have greater ability and that the concepts were more important for implementation in clinical practice. Results: Overall, postprofessional athletic training students perceived they were able to implement the concepts of the competencies into their daily practice and perceived all of the competencies to be moderately to extremely important for implementation. However, while participants globally perceived they were able to implement the competencies, they disagreed or strongly disagreed they were able to implement some concepts, particularly within health care informatics and patient-centered care, as a part of their clinical practice. Conclusions: Postprofessional athletic training students recognize the importance of the core competencies and perceive they are able to implement these competencies throughout clinical practice. However, as postprofessional athletic training students continue to advance their skills as clinicians, the benefits of health care informatics and incorporating real-time electronic patient data to support their clinical decisions should be emphasized.


Author(s):  
Heather Hudson ◽  
Valerie Herzog

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contribute to student persistence and gauge prospective athletic training students' perceptions of experiences that contributed to their persistence. Method: The Athletic Training Student Persistence-Revised Survey was developed to gather data about program attributes, social, academic, clinical integration, and program commitment. Institutional demographics, program demographics, and program attributes were collected during interviews. Surveys were administered online through SurveyMonkey. Survey data were returned anonymously by designated contact persons (Athletic Training Program Directors or Clinical Education Coordinators) for all freshmen prospective athletic training students enrolled in the athletic training introductory course/s. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric differences and correlations were calculated. The inductive process was used in coding open-ended data. Results: The Mann Whitney U test and Spearman Rho analysis demonstrated significant results. Program attributes along with clinical integration had the weakest correlations (r = -0.36 and r = -0.32, respectively), while academic integration and program commitment had the strongest (r = -0.58 and r = -0.76, respectively). No predictive variables were found. Qualitatively, persisters and non-persisters managed the pre-application period differently. Additionally, the rapport between athletes and athletic trainers serving as preceptors, the relationships between prospective athletic training students and extant athletic training students, and the mentorship displayed by athletic training students were all contributors to persistence. Conclusions: Communication between the athletic training program director and prospective athletic training students is vital, but the core of the study revealed that what transpires during clinical observation hours, within the introductory course/s, between athletic trainers and athletes, and between athletic training students/preceptors and prospective athletic training students are of even greater importance. The findings demonstrated that decisions to persist are the result of all parties and components associated with the athletic training program, not just one.


2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suanne S. Maurer-Starks ◽  
Heather L. Clemons ◽  
Shannon L. Whalen

Abstract Context: As an allied health professional working in various settings, an athletic trainer (AT) is responsible for the health care of a highly diverse population. More often than not, this diversity is defined by the visible, such as race or sex. However, diversity encompasses many more variables than these observable factors and includes sexual orientation. Efforts have been made to educate ATs about issues related to sex and race; however, sexual orientation typically has not been addressed, although ATs have treated and will continue to treat lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) patients. Objective: To introduce ATs (educators and practicing clinicians) to the concept of heteronormativity, its effect on society, and its influences on the manner in which they teach athletic training students and deliver health care to their patients. Data Collection and Analysis: We searched various databases, including MEDLINE, ERIC, SportDiscus, and CINAHL Information Systems using the terms bisexual, diversity, gay, heteronormativity, homophobia in sport, and lesbian. Pertinent articles were cross-referenced to gain additional information. The literature revealed the historic implications of homonegativity for sport and its effects on those involved in sport culture, including ATs. Conclusions: Future dialogues should focus on innovative strategies for including LGB issues into athletic training curricula and for meeting the needs of students and professionals in addition to patients who identify as LGB.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1070-1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea D. Lopes Sauers ◽  
Eric L. Sauers ◽  
Alison R. Snyder Valier

Context:  Quality improvement (QI) is a health care concept that ensures patients receive high-quality (safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient-centered) and affordable care. Despite its importance, the application of QI in athletic health care has been limited. Objectives:  To describe the need for and define QI in health care, to describe how to measure quality in health care, and to present a QI case in athletic training. Description:  As the athletic training profession continues to grow, a widespread engagement in QI efforts is necessary to establish the value of athletic training services for the patients that we serve. A review of the importance of QI in health care, historical perspectives of QI, tools to drive QI efforts, and examples of common QI initiatives is presented to assist clinicians in better understanding the value of QI for advancing athletic health care and the profession. Clinical and Research Advantages:  By engaging clinicians in strategies to measure outcomes and improve their patient care services, QI practice can help athletic trainers provide high-quality and affordable care to patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Noller ◽  
David C. Berry

Context Lean as a quality improvement philosophy is new to athletic training despite widespread use in health care for many years. Objective To introduce the concepts of Lean and Lean Six Sigma and create a primer document for athletic training educators in the classroom. Background Lean requires organizations to exercise effort along with several dimensions simultaneously to improve patient quality and efficiency while controlling costs and reducing waste. When appropriately executed, Lean transforms how an organization and its employees work, creating an avid quest for quality improvement and, ultimately, patient safety. Synthesis Lean is a cultural transformation that changes how an organization operates. It requires new habits, skills, and attitudes throughout the organization, from executives to front-line staff. Lean is a journey, not a destination. The culture of Lean involves the relentless pursuit of continuous quality improvement and is composed of 6 principles and numerous tools. Recommendation(s) Whether athletic trainers approach Lean or Lean Six Sigma in a leadership role, or as a stakeholder in a Kaizen event, all should have a working knowledge of the principles, methods, elements, philosophy, and tools of robust process improvement. Moreover, while no best-practice statement exists about how to incorporate Lean Six Sigma into a curriculum, addressing process improvement early may allow immersive-experience students an opportunity to engage in a process improvement initiative, facilitating a greater appreciation of the content, and offer opportunities to engage professionals from other disciplines. Conclusion(s) Lean is reproducible in sports medicine clinics, orthopedic practices, and outpatient and athletic health care facilities, but only when athletic trainers understand the application. Moreover, for this reason, athletic training programs should strongly consider adding a robust process improvement course/content to their graduate curriculums.


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