As unpredictable as the last nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been for everyone, athletic trainers are uniquely trained to handle the unexpected. Some outreach athletic trainers deployed to the front lines in non-traditional roles, such as coronavirus screeners, became some of the first recommended groups to train and administer the COVID-19 vaccine, and to receive it.
The December NATA News takes a look back at the year, and a big part of that was the yearlong Health Care in Action campaign.
The Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR), of which NATA is a member, is seeking feedback from patients, providers, caregivers and advocates regarding the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and the need for COVID-19 rehabilitation. Specifically, CPR is seeking:
Being a culturally competent health care provider is not limited to understanding variances in gender identity, race or ethnicity – ATs must also be aware of their patient’s religious values. This type of education and awareness can come from personal experience and/or a proactive effort to increase personal awareness of religious traditions that may vary from the one’s own.
By Glenn Edgerton, EdD, ATC, and Dani Moffit, PhD, ATC
NATA LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee
In the November NATA News, NATA Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee Chair Kysha Harriell, PhD, LAT, ATC, wrote an article about why words matter when working with patients who have a disability. In continuation of the topic, Kevin M. Conley, PhD, ATC, spoke with NATA about his firsthand experience treating patients with disabilities.
For someone who belongs to a marginalized or minoritized group, having an ally can have a significant impact, especially on their emotional and mental well-being.
In the November NATA News, NATA Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee District Four Rep. Samar Long, MSEd, AT, ATC, interviewed Marisha Little, LAT, ATC, and Chris Dake, EdD, LAT, ATC, with the University of West Florida, about their efforts to increase awareness of the athletic training profession on the Navajo Reservation.
The athletic training profession equips ATs with a diverse set of skills that allows them to work throughout health care. While some athletic trainers work directly with patients and athletes in the clinical setting, others can be found in hospital administration and occupational health.
Leah Friedland, MS, ATC, is the program leader for Workforce Health and Safety at Northwestern Medicine Hospital.
By Lovie Tabron MS, LAT, ATC, CISM, ATs Care Commission Chair
Athletic trainers impact health care through action before, during and after an injury. What about when the action needed is a silent yet present response? ATs must take action to prevent suicide.