ATHLETIC TRAINERS OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

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1 ATHLETIC TRAINERS OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Treatments are available at all Conference schools. If treatments are required, a signed Conference Treatment Release Form must be completed and signed by the visiting team's athletic trainer and submitted to the host athletic trainer prior to treatment. Football Games: The following services will be provided by the home team during football games: 1. Ambulance immediately available. 2. Spine board/orthopedic scoop stretcher 3. A minimum of 2 10-gallon water coolers on the sideline and gallon cooler in the visiting team locker room. 5. Ice as needed on the sideline. 6. A minimum of four (4) taping stations for pre-event taping. These stations should be located in an area separate from the locker area and therefore gender neutral and must be accessible to the athletic trainers and the student-athletes. 7. Physician in attendance. 8. Transportation provided for visiting team's training equipment to and from the playing field. 9. Certified trainer in attendance. 10. One sideline table for medical personnel. Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field: The following services will be provided by the home team during the following contests: baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track and field, and wrestling: 2. Spine board/orthopedic scoop stretcher available. 3. A minimum of 1 10-gallon water cooler on the sideline and water available at half-time when appropriate. 4. Ice as needed on the sideline. 5. Two taping stations available. 6. Certified trainer available. Wrestling: The following services will be provided by the home team during wrestling matches: 2. Spine board/orthopedic scoop stretcher available. 3. A minimum of 1 5-gallon water cooler on the sideline and water available at half-time when appropriate. 4. Ice as needed on the sideline. 5. Two taping stations available. 6. Certified trainer in attendance. 7. Physician in attendance at Conference Championship. All Other Sports: The following services will be provided by the home team for all other sports not listed above: 2. Water cooler as appropriate. 3. Ice as needed. 4. Taping tables as appropriate. 5. Certified trainer available - emergency procedures as outlined by each university. Conference Championships: The host institution must provide all the above requirements pertinent to the activity plus a certified trainer must be in attendance at all Conference Championships. Medical personnel are excluded from the bench personnel limit, i.e. ATC, student-trainers, physicians.

2 ATHLETIC TRAINERS OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES INDEPENDENT MEDICAL CARE: All PSAC member institutions shall establish an administrative structure that provides independent medical care and affirms the unchallengeable authority of primary athletics health care providers (team physicians and athletic trainers) to determine medical management and return-to-play decisions related to student-athletes. An active institution shall designate a director of medical services to oversee the institution s athletic health care administration and delivery. (Adopted May, 2016) Officials Treatment: Game preparation of the host institution s student-athletes, as well as the visiting team s student-athletes is the main priority for the Athletic Training Staff covering the event. There should not be an expectation of service provided to game officials by the host institution s Athletic Training Staff. Providing any type of treatment to game officials, other than standard first aid due to an injury, will be the decision of the Athletic Training Staff covering the event. Please be aware, these services may be limited by the State Board of Medicine s Athletic Training Practice Act. As a professional courtesy, game officials should contact the host institution s Athletic Training Staff prior to the contest they are working. This will allow both parties the opportunity to discuss the availability of services and make appropriate arrangements. (Adopted April, 2011) ATHLETIC TRAINER COVERAGE AT OFF-CAMPUS CHAMPIONSHIPS In order to effectively insure proper medical coverage of PSAC Championship events not held on any of the member campuses, institutions are required to provide their own certified athletic trainer at PSAC Team Championships held at an off-campus venue. This provision covers Baseball and Softball. ATC expenses will be the responsibility of each respective institution. The conference office will provide an Athletic Training Information Sheet for participating ATCs that includes facility, hospital and EMS information. In the sport of Men s and Women s Swimming, see the operating code for ATC Rotation. (Adopted May, 2015) ATHLETIC TRAINERS OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

3 CONTEST LIGHTNING POLICY (Adopted April, 2013) Due to the significant risk and possibility of fatal injury from lightning strikes, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) has developed a policy on how to deal with lightning in and around the areas of competition and/or events. This policy will clearly state the PSAC s position on this issue and define the roles of certain individuals during the decision making process. The athletic training, coaching/support staff and administration s primary responsibility is for the safety and concern of the participants. All PSAC contests will utilize the Telvent (Schneider Electric) Weather Sentry System. Each PSAC Institution should be responsible for developing their own protocol to best fit their circumstances and locations, including announcements and evacuation plans for all athletic events, including practices and games. For PSAC contests: The Host Certified Athletic Trainer will be responsible for notifying the Game Field Supervisor of weather alerts. Eight miles will be the standard distance for postponement for all PSAC contests. For Off-campus / neutral venues: The team designated as the Host will be responsible for monitoring the weather and notifying the Game Field Supervisor of activity suspensions. For PSAC championships the Conference Office will arrange to make available to all attending AT s weather alert information via text or . GENERAL POLICY: A member of the Athletic Training Staff will monitor the weather and make the decision to notify the Game Field Supervisor of dangerous situations and recommend the suspension of activity in the event of lightning. Suspension of Activity o Any reported lightning strike on Telvent Weather Sentry System within the 8 mile range regardless of the presence of visible lightning. Announcement of Suspension and Evacuation o Plans will be determined by each PSAC Institution Return To Play o Play will be resume after the Telvent Weather Sentry System sends an All Clear message, which is 30 minutes following the last strike. The 30 minute time frame will immediately start over with each additional lightning strike. GENERAL APPLICATION AND RESPONSIBILITY The host institution s certified athletic trainer will have the unchallengeable authority to postpone or suspend competition in the event of lightning during PSAC regular season or championship play. The certified athletic trainer and game official or game administrator must consult and all agree as to when play is to be resumed. An institution s lightning policy should be listed on its website. ATHLETIC TRAINERS OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

4 DRUG STATEMENT Drug use and abuse represents a danger to the well-being of student athletes and presents a serious threat to the integrity of intercollegiate athletics. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference supports efforts adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to curtail the unauthorized use of chemical substances. A number of factors contribute to define student athletes as a high risk population regarding the use of drugs. These factors include pressures to excel, high visibility in the campus community, and recognition of their roles as institutional representatives. Member institutions of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference are committed to the total development of student athletes. That commitment includes a comprehensive drug education program which involves athletic administrators, coaches, and trainers. It also includes specific efforts to provide education and rehabilitation information to all students who participate in intercollegiate competition. The Conference opposes the use of both performance enhancing and recreational drugs, including alcohol abuse, and encourages member institutions to develop appropriate policies and programs to combat this growing problem. (Adopted 12/7/89) ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO STATEMENT Players, coaches or other institutional representatives shall not consume alcoholic beverages or tobacco products during practice sessions or at the site of competitions. In addition, passengers in vehicles carrying team personnel to and from athletic events shall refrain from using alcohol and tobacco products. HEPATITIS "B" POLICY STATEMENT It is recommended that institutions should make Hepatitis "B" vaccine available to those employees whose job responsibilities associated with athletic events and/or facilities may place them at high risk to exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Such personnel could include, but not be limited to, athletics trainers (professional and student), coaches, law enforcement personnel, custodians, equipment managers, laundry workers and maintenance personnel. It is recommended that each institution in conjunction with its medical staff insure compliance with respect to taking universal precautions to limit exposure to bloodborne pathogens through the development of comprehensive education programs and operating procedures for all individuals, employees and/or students, whose job responsibilities and/or activities are associated with athletics or athletic facilities and may place them at risk to exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Education programs should be comprehensive and include information about actions that place individuals at risk, the dangers associated with such risks, behaviors to minimize risks, procedures to follow when dealing with situations or materials that might be considered infectious or at-risk, and actions to follow if exposed to infectious materials (e.g. blood, other body fluids, equipment/facilities). HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE Adopted 5/20/2014

5 The Health and Safety Committee has the mission of providing expertise and leadership to the Conference in order to promote a healthy and safe environment for student-athletes through research, education, collaboration, and policy development. The Committee is composed of representatives from the following Constituent Groups and consists of: 2 Athletic Trainers (one East, one West) (Dr. Wendy Dietrich, East Stroudsburg & Audra Neumann, Edinboro) 1 Team Physician (Dr. Cibischino, East Stroudsburg) 1 Vice-President (Roger Serr, Shippensburg) 1 Athletics Administrator (Mike McFarland, Bloomsburg) 1 Coach (Bill Zwaan, West Chester) 1 Commissioner s Office (Steve Murray) The Committee will report to the PSAC Advisory Council, addressing both new and existing conference legislation and its effect on the health and safety of the student-athlete. The Committee functions in a similar fashion to the NCAA Competitive Safeguards Committee but concentrates on issues of the PSAC. As a non-partisan committee comprised of representation of the various constituent groups, the committee provides the Advisory Council with an independent view that is focused entirely on health and safety issues. Membership Terms to be not more than three years. The terms of the initial committee membership will be staggered at intervals of 4, 3 and 2 years in order to provide some continuity. Each represented group will select its own representative to the Committee. The PSAC Certified Athletic Trainers will determine a process for the selection of a Team Physician representative to the Committee. At its initial meeting, the Committee will select a chairperson, responsible for the conduct of the meetings.