Perceptions of clinical athletic trainers on the spiritual care of injured athletes

Context:

Treating both the body and the mind of an injured or ill patient is accepted as necessary for full healing to occur. However, treating the spiritual needs of the patient has less consensus.

Objective:

To determine the perceptions and practices of certified athletic trainers (ATs) working in the college/university setting pertaining to spiritual care of the injured athlete.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

A survey instrument was e-mailed to a stratified random sample of 2000 ATs at 4-year colleges and universities.

Patients or Other Participants:

Five hundred sixty-four participants (296 men, 234 women; 34 did not specify sex).

Main Outcome Measure(s):

We measured the ATs'' perceptions and practices related to spiritual care for athletes.

Results:

We found that 82.4% of respondents agreed that addressing spiritual concerns could result in more positive therapeutic outcomes for athletes; however, 64.3% disagreed that ATs are responsible for providing the spiritual care. Positive correlations were found between personal spirituality and items favoring implementing spiritual care.

Conclusions:

Athletic trainers have a conceptual appreciation of the importance of spiritual care for athletes, but the practicalities of how to define, acquire skills in, and practice spiritual care are unresolved.     

Motivational congruency and discrepancy between certified athletic trainers and noncertified student athletic trainers in the state of hawaii

In March 1992, a survey to assess motivational preference was sent to all certified athletic trainers who were practicing in the State of Hawaii and all noncertified student athletic trainers who were enrolled in the athletic training curriculum at the University of Hawaii. The return rate was 80% for certified athletic trainers and 100% for student athletic trainers. The findings of the study indicated that a motivational discrepancy exists for the following motivational stems: freedom on the job, job growth, benefits and wages, being appreciated, helping the organization obtain goals, receiving raises, being an integral part of the work team, job security, and feedback on job performance (p <.05). Further, the study indicated differences in rating the importance of motivators between the certified and the student athletic trainers concerning freedom on the job, opportunity for advancement, benefits and wages, and job security (p <.05). The differences in motivational factors between the two groups indicated that the students are more concerned with intrinsic types of motivators and less concerned with extrinsic rewards. Further investigation needs to include mainland populations and students in approved/accredited curriculums.     

Evaluation of professional preparation in athletic training by employed, entry-level athletic trainers

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived adequacy of professional preparation in athletic training among employed, entry-level certified athletic trainers. Data were gathered by means of a self-reporting questionnaire designed specifically for the study. There were 277 questionnaires mailed, and 183 entry-level certified athletic trainers (66%) responded to the survey. Demographic and employment characteristics of the respondents were examined. Respondents rated their perceptions of adequacy of professional preparation and growth in several academic and clinical task areas. Entry-level athletic trainers felt more prepared in the areas of prevention of athletic injuries/illnesses, evaluation and recognition of athletic injuries/illnesses, and first aid/emergency care. They felt less prepared in the areas of rehabilitation and reconditioning, organization and administration of athletic training programs, counseling and guidance of athletes, and education of athletes. Many entry-level certified athletic trainers were not strongly impressed with the adequacy of the number of clinical hours required or the areas of clinical experiences encountered during their professional preparation programs. Respondents felt that their mentors/certified athletic trainers could have provided more leadership, guidance, and evaluation. According to this study, professional preparation programs in athletic training are adequately preparing entry-level professionals, but certain task areas need increased emphasis.     

Sports nutrition knowledge among collegiate athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and strength and conditioning specialists

Context:

Coaches, athletic trainers (ATs), strength and conditioning specialists (SCSs), and registered dietitians are common nutrition resources for athletes, but coaches, ATs, and SCSs might offer only limited nutrition information. Little research exists about sports nutrition knowledge and current available resources for nutrition information for athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs.

Objective:

To identify resources of nutrition information that athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs use; to examine nutrition knowledge among athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs; and to determine confidence levels in the correctness of nutrition knowledge questions within all groups.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III institutions across the United States.

Patients and Other Participants:

The 579 participants consisted of athletes (n = 185), coaches (n = 131), ATs (n = 192), and SCSs (n = 71).

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Participants answered questions about nutrition resources and domains regarding basic nutrition, supplements and performance, weight management, and hydration. Adequate sports nutrition knowledge was defined as an overall score of 75% in all domains (highest achievable score was 100%).

Results:

Participants averaged 68.5% in all domains. The ATs (77.8%) and SCSs (81.6%) had the highest average scores. Adequate knowledge was found in 35.9% of coaches, 71.4% of ATs, 83.1% of SCSs, and only 9% of athletes. The most used nutrition resources for coaches, ATs, and SCSs were registered dietitians.

Conclusions:

Overall, we demonstrated that ATs and SCSs have adequate sports nutrition knowledge, whereas most coaches and athletes have inadequate knowledge. Athletes have frequent contact with ATs and SCSs; therefore, proper nutrition education among these staff members is critical. We suggest that proper nutrition programming should be provided for athletes, coaches, ATs, and SCSs. However, a separate nutrition program should be integrated for ATs and SCSs. This integrative approach is beneficial for the continuity of care, as both categories of professionals might be developing and integrating preventive or rehabilitative programs for athletes.     

A survey of athletic trainers as health care advocates for testicular and breast self-examination in athletic populations

There have been no previous studies of athletic trainers' educational practices regarding breast or testicular cancer, so we surveyed athletic trainers regarding: 1) the incidence of cancer among athletes, 2) educational practices concerning breast/testicular cancer, 3) educational practices regarding breast/testicular self-examination, 4) breast/testicular concerns of athletes, 5) breast self-examination and testicular self-examination among athletic trainers. A researcher-developed questionnaire was randomly distributed to athletic trainers at the 1994 NATA convention, and SPSS-X was used to analyze results, using Chi-square. One alarming finding was that 28% of athletic trainers surveyed had worked with an athlete who had cancer. Twenty-two percent of the athletic trainers surveyed reported that a female athlete had brought a breast concern to them, and 51% reported that a male athlete had brought a testicular concern to them. Most of the athletic trainers surveyed do not educate athletes about breast or testicular cancer and do not teach athletes about self-examination procedures, but do perform breast self-examination or testicular self-examination on themselves. Acting as a role model is an important step toward the education of athletes in our care, but more must be done. As health care professionals, athletic trainers must become more proactive, rather than reactive, when dealing with cancer prevention.     

Work-family conflict, part II: Job and life satisfaction in national collegiate athletic association division I-A certified athletic trainers

CONTEXT: Previous researchers have shown that work-family conflict (WFC) affects the level of a person's job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and job burnout and intentions to leave the profession. However, WFC and its consequences have not yet been fully investigated among certified athletic trainers. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between WFC and various outcome variables among certified athletic trainers working in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A settings. DESIGN: A mixed-methods design using a 53-item survey questionnaire and follow-up in-depth interviews was used to examine the prevalence of WFC. SETTING: Division I-A universities sponsoring football. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 587 athletic trainers (324 men, 263 women) responded to the questionnaire, and 12 (6 men, 6 women) participated in the qualitative portion of the mixed-methods study. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We calculated Pearson correlations to determine the relationship between WFC and job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and job burnout. Regression analyses were run to determine whether WFC was a predictor of job satisfaction, job burnout, or intention to leave the profession. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using the computer program N6 as well as member checks and peer debriefing. RESULTS: Negative relationships were found between WFC and job satisfaction (r = -.52, P < .001). Positive were noted between WFC and job burnout (r = .63, P < .001) and intention to leave the profession (r = .46, P < .001). Regression analyses revealed that WFC directly contributed to job satisfaction (P < .001), job burnout (P < .001), and intention to leave the profession (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings concur with those of previous researchers on WFC and its negative relationships to job satisfaction and life satisfaction and positive relationship to job burnout and intention to leave an organization. Sources of WFC, such as time, inflexible work schedules, and inadequate staffing, were also related to job burnout and job dissatisfaction in this population.     

Nerve injury in athletes caused by cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a therapeutic modality frequently used in the treatment of athletic injuries. In very rare circumstances, inappropriate use in some individuals can lead to nerve injury resulting in temporary or permanent disability of the athlete. Six cases of cold-induced peripheral nerve injury from 1988 to 1991 at the Sports Medicine Center at Duke University are reported. Although disability can be severe and can render an athlete unable to compete for several months, each of these cases resolved spontaneously. Whereas the application of this modality is typically quite safe and beneficial, clinicians must be aware of the location of major peripheral nerves, the thickness of the overlying subcutaneous fat, the method of application (with inherent or additional compression), the duration of tissue cooling, and the possible cryotherapy sensibility of some individuals.