Athletic Trainer

Responsibilities

• Works within the scope of practice as defined by physician and clinical team coordinator.
• Acts as a liaison between the patients and physician.
• Facilitates procurement of medical records and diagnostics imaging prior to patient visits.
• Sets up examination/consultation/treatment rooms at the start of each day including but not limited to setting up doctor specific supplies and paperwork.
• Cleans rooms in-between patients and at the end of the day.
• Disposes of contaminated items according to OSHA guidelines.
• Escorts patients/guardians with their charts/films into examination/consultation/treatment rooms/assists patients with examination clothing.
• Ensures patient has completed all paperwork; enters data into CROWN system; complies with Meaningful Use.
• Obtains initial history and takes vital sign.
• If directed to do so, complete physical exam and confer with physician regarding findings, potential diagnosis and treatment options.
• Aids physician in preparing for examinations and minor procedures such as corticosteroid and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections.
• Under physician supervision administers prescribed medications and treatments.
• Observes, records and reports patient's condition and reaction to drugs and treatments to physician.
• Removes sutures, stiches and staples as directed by physician.
• Removes and/or apply dressings, casts, slings, splints and braces as directed by physician.
• Completes test requisitions as needed and instructs patients/guardians on the requisitions.
• Maintains and coordinates with other teams the doctors’ prescribed treatments and surgical cases for the patients.
• Keeps the flow of patients for the physicians.
• Serves as a liaison in the Fordham athletic training room and other referrers.
• Surgical Patient Care:
• Reviews pre-operative instructions and explains the surgical process to patients who are about to have surgery.
• Performs patient education duties; shows surgical videos, hands out brochures, and directs patients to specific Internet sites for more information.
• Collects pre-operative clearance data to be shared with residents and physician with attention to possible medical complications and necessary additional work ups.
• Prepares pre-operative and post-operative educational packets and ensures that patient has all PT and medication prescriptions prior to operative day.
• Acts as a liaison in recovery room setting on surgical days in combination with recovery staff and physician, providing prescriptions and post op and discharge education and instructions.
• Call patients the day after surgery.
• Sees post-op patients for wound checks and post-op care and notifies physician of findings if abnormal.
• Formulates, coordinates, and updates patient care plans from pre-operative to post-operative and follow-up care throughout the patient’s management within orthopedic surgery.
• Ensures that all pre-operative patients have had all pre-surgical radiological and nuclear medicine exams within a reasonable time period (including, but not limited to, x-ray, MRI, CT, PET, bone scan).
• Works with Surgical Scheduling Unit to ensure all proposed surgical cases are contacted and scheduled.
• Rounds on all in-house post-operative patients with or without physician.
• Reviews post-operative discharge instructions with patients including regarding wound care and pain management.
• Safeguards all post-operative patients have a scheduled first post op appointment with physician and orders for post op x-rays have been placed if needed.
• Chart Prep:
• Chart preparation and placing x-rays orders according to protocol for office hours using EHR/CROWN system.
• Contacts all patients and fax/email requisitions for outside radiology orders as needed.
• Reviews provider schedule prior to office hours and placing x-rays orders according to protocol for add on patients using the CROWN system.
• Telephones & Administrative:
• Returns patient phone messages at designated times throughout the day; documents action taken in patient chart.
• Oversees appointment bookings and ensures emergency situations are scheduled appropriately.
• Communicates physician referral requests to staff for necessary processing.
• Triage incoming telephone calls; instructs patient and family regarding treatment instruction, then documents action taken in patient chart.
• Ensures that pertinent laboratory and radiology results are reviewed by the physician and communicated to patient.
• Telephones prescription requests to pharmacy; documents action in patient chart and obtains physician signature of approval.
• Assist with patient correspondence as needed, i.e. letters of medical necessity, school notes, insurance inquiries, etc.
• Acts as a scribe to physician and completes encounter forms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in education and experience, plus three years of related experience.
• Current and updated NY State ATC License.
• Certification through NATABOC.
• All current licensure maintained.
• Entry level graduates with NATA certification will be considered.
• Prior experience working in orthopedic practice preferred.
• CPR/AED certification.