Introduction

The instructions in this guide are intended to be used as a quick reference during an emergency.  An emergency is defined as any situation, actual or imminent, that endangers the safety and lives to UW student-athletes, staff or the security of UW property. 

Emergency situations may arise at anytime during athletic events.  Expedient action must be taken in order to provide the best possible care to the athlete of emergency and/or life threatening conditions.  The development and implementation of an emergency action plan will help ensure that the best care will be provided.

 

Activating the EMS:

Any emergency may be reported by dialing: 911 or from a campus phone as 9-911. Should you decide to do this, the following information should be provided in a CALM and FOCUSED manner:

Ø      Your name, location and telephone number

Ø      The specific location of the emergency, i.e. the street or physical address is mandatory

Ø      Identify the type of help needed- ambulance, fire department, or police department

Ø      Number of victims, age of victims and location of victims.

Ø      A brief description of situation, giving concise and factual information (chief complaint, are they breathing, are they bleeding if so where—be specific).

Ø      Other vital signs (pulse, BP, respirations, PEARRL if known)

Ø      First aid treatment being initiated and by whom

Ø      Specific directions as needed to locate scene

Ø      Be prepared to answer additional questions from the dispatcher

DO NOT HANG UP.  Let the other party do so first in case they have other questions about the information you have given.

 

Provide appropriate emergency care until arrival of EMS personnel: on arrival of EMS personnel, provide pertinent information (method of injury, vital signs, treatment rendered, medical history) and assist with emergency care as needed.

Note:

·        A member of the UW Athletic Training staff should accompany the student-athlete to hospital

·        Notify other UW Athletic Training Staff immediately

·        Parents should be contacted by UW Athletic Training Staff

·        Inform coach(es) and administration

·        Obtain medical history and insurance information and forward it to ER

·        Appropriate injury reports should be completed

 

Emergency Room Visits

Not all injuries require ambulance transportation.  You may have an athlete with injury that you need to take to the hospital emergency room.  If this is the case, the following guidelines should be followed:

1.      Check the person in at admitting.

You will need the following information:

a.       Patient’s name

b.      Social security number

c.       Birth date

d.      Local address and telephone number

e.       Parent’s name, home address, and home phone number

f.        Primary insurance information (copy ins page)

g.       Brief medical history: allergies, medications, etc.

            2.      After the person is checked in, introduce yourself to the            

                  emergency room nurse in charge of the patient.

3.      Tell them your evaluation, signs and symptoms, etc.

4.      Stay out of the emergency personnel’s way.

5.      If the emergency room personnel will let you, stay and wait with the athlete.  If not wait in the waiting room and periodically check in with the ER staff to find out what is going on and if you can be of any assistance.

6.      Make sure you call the athletic training room periodically to let a staff athletic trainer know what is happening.

 

On-the-Field Emergency

Occasionally a life threatening or potentially debilitating injury occurs where an athletic trainer may need immediate assistance on the field.  If a walkie-talkie is not available, then emergency hand signals should be used to communicate between you and other medical personnel on the sidelines or infields. 

Emergency Signals

Physician: hand on top of head

Paramedics: arm extended overhead with clenched fist

Spine board: crossed arms

Splints: hand to lower leg or thigh

Gator:  steering wheel

 

Locations

As a member of the UW Athletic Training Staff, you may work in a variety of locations around the athletic department. 

These locations include:

 

North 40 Practice Fields Entrance south of indoor tennis facility Street access off Armory Road	Arena Auditorium Ramp/Tunnel NW side of Willett St.
South Practice Fields Parking lot south of fieldhouse Access off Grand Ave.	Multi-Purpose Gym Athletics loop off Willet East of Arena and N. of Stadium
Fieldhouse Parking lot south of fieldhouse Access off Grand Ave.	Corbett Pool Parking lot North of Corbett Bldg. Access off Grand Ave.
War Memorial Stadium Paramedics on site	Soccer Game Field South entrance east of baseball fields Access off Willet St.
Track North entrance Access of Reynolds St.	Rochelle Athletic Center East or south entrance Access from dirt parking lot

 

Familiarize yourself with each location.  You must know where the streets are, street names, intersections, etc. (see map in back for more details). Memorize this information and be able to communicate it to other people or over the phone if need be.

 

Action Plan

During games and practices, you must have all the emergency equipment operational and readily available.  If an athletic training student is the first to arrive to an injured athlete or person, then they are instructed to act as a first responder until a more qualified individual arrives.  In most cases, the certified athletic trainer is present and in charge of the situation.  The certified athletic trainer will have his or her cell phone available.  If the certified athletic trainer, is not present it is the responsibility to the athletic training student or coach to make sure a cell phone is available.  An ATS will be given the responsibility of calling 911.  Police and security guards will direct where the emergency vehicle is supposed to go.  If police or security guards are not available, it is the certified athletic trainer’s or first responder’s responsibility to delegate that responsibility to any personnel that is available.  ATSs will be assigned to direct the EMT personnel from their vehicle to the injured individual.  To prevent confusion, only the necessary personnel are needed to treat the injured individual.  All other personnel should be used as crowd control and to assist the caregivers as needed. 

 When the ambulance arrives, the first responder’s job is not finished.  The EMTs are going to count on you to report what happened, to tell them any signs and symptoms, and the care given.  They may also count on you to help load up the patient in to the ambulance or assist them in any emergency procedures at the scene.  When the ambulance leaves, make sure you or someone from the UW Athletic Training Staff is going to meet the ambulance at the hospital with the patient’s necessary information.  Also, be sure to communicate with the other athletic training staff, parents, coaches, etc.