In order to demonstrate the knowledge of the practice of athletic training, to think critically about the practices involved in athletic training, including the ability to integrate knowledge, skill, and behavior, and to assume professional responsibility, the entry-level certified athletic trainer must recognize, assess, and treat patients with acute injuries, illnesses and provide appropriate medical referral. The use of learning objectives and outcomes in acute care of injuries and illnesses ensures that the student is able to:

Psychomotor Competencies

1. Survey the scene to determine whether the area is safe and determine what may have happened.
2. Perform in initial assessment to assess the following, but not limited to:
   • Airway
   • Breathing
   • Circulation
   • Level of consciousness
   • Other life-threatening conditions
3. Implement appropriate emergency treatment strategies, including but not limited to:
   • Activate an emergency action plan
   • Establish and maintain an airway in an infant, child, and adult
   • Establish and maintain an airway in a patient wearing shoulder pads, headgear or other protective equipment and/or with a suspected spine injury
   • Perform one- and two-person CPR on an infant, child, and adult
   • Utilize a bag-valve mask on an infant, child, and adult
   • Utilize an automated external defibrillator (AED) according to current accepted practice protocols
   • Normalize body temperature in situations of sever/life-threatening heat of cold stress
   • Control bleeding using universal precautions
   • Administer an EpiPen for anaphylactic shock
4. Perform a secondary assessment and employ the appropriate management techniques for non-life-threatening situations, including but not limited to:
   • Open and closed wounds (using universal precautions)
   • Closed-head trauma (using standard neurological tests and tests for cranial nerve function)
   • Environmental illness
   • Seizures
   • Acute asthma attack
   • Different types of shock
   • Thoracic, respiratory, and internal abdominal injury or illness
   • Acute musculoskeletal injuries (i.e. sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations)
   • Spinal cord and peripheral nerve injuries
   • Diabetic coma
   • Toxic drug overdose
   • Allergic, thermal, and chemical reactions of the skin (including infestations and insect bites)

Clinical Proficiency
Demonstrate the ability to manage acute injuries and illnesses. This will include surveying the scene, conduction an initial assessment, utilizing universal precautions, activation the emergency action plan, implementing appropriate emergency techniques and procedures, conduction a secondary assessment and implementing appropriate first aid techniques and procedures for non-life-threatening situations. Effective lines of communication should be established and the results of the assessment, management and treatment should be documented.