Athletic Trainers Save Lives
March 2012 is National Athletic Training Month! The National Athletic Trainers' Association has given this year's celebration the slogan of "Athletic Trainers Save Lives." To highlight this point; we would like to share life saving stories of an Iowa State athletic trainer and other athletic trainers around the State of Iowa.
In March of 2006, an Iowa State professor was warming up for his weekly basketball game with fellow professors and ISU employees. The other game participants watched as this professor jogged up and down the court only two times; and then fell to a knee and finally fell to the floor. The professor's co-workers and fiends immediately came to his aid and observed very shallow breathing and a light pulse; and then the breathing and pulse stopped. Building staff and others were called to the facility gymnasium to help this victim; and they began giving him CPR. Word finally made it to the gymnastics gym where an Iowa State athletic trainer was covering practice. He ran to the aid of this professor and began two-person CPR with the help of an athletic training student. This athletic trainer also used an AED to analyze the heart rhythm of this patient. The AED called for a shock which resulted in a slow and shallow pulse, but that only lasted for about 30 seconds. The heart stopped again; and the AED called for a second shock. This second shock established a firm pulse and then the professor began breathing on his own again. Even though he was not conscious when the paramedics arrived; sudden cardiac death had been avoided by the use of an AED by the people trying to help this patient. The professor made a full recovery in the hospital and has continued his work at ISU, and is currently Professor Emeritus at the University. Iowa State Professor Saved by Fast Acting Staff and AED Athletic Trainers Save Lives.
During the mid-1980's a high school athletic trainer in the Des Moines area was working a Varsity football game when he found himself giving CPR to one of his coaches. In the middle of the game, the coach collapsed with chest pain and was found unresponsive. Immediately the athletic trainer assessed the status of the coach and found no respirations and no pulse. After giving two rescue breaths, he was about to begin chest compressions when he found someone already at the chest to assist.. Together, they performed two person CPR until emergency personnel arrived and were able to take over care. The coach survived the heart attack and was able to return to coaching after recovery. Lucky for coach, there was a Certified Athletic Trainer on hand and ready to save his life. Athletic Trainers Save Lives.
A Certified Athletic Trainer from an Iowa Community College put her skills to use by preventing the suicide of one of her players. The athlete had suffered a season-ending injury and was struggling with the idea of not playing. The athlete soon went into severe depression with thoughts of suicide and turned to her ATC for help. The Athletic Trainer responded with all the correct steps to ensure the immediate and long term health and safety of her athlete, including counseling the athlete through this difficult time. Athletic trainers are educated in several areas of medicine and do more than just hand out water. Just think, what could have happened to this athlete if there was no Certified Athletic Trainer by her side every day? Athletic Trainers Save Lives.
Certified Athletic Trainers do save lives and it happens right here at Iowa State and across the great State of Iowa. If you have a chance to talk to a Certified Athletic Trainer, thank them for their continued preparedness for any situation. You never know when it might be you that needs help, and hopefully their will be a Certified Athletic Trainer nearby to help you out.
Go Cyclones!
