Certified Athletic Trainer*

Full-time position located at JB San Antonio, TX.

About the role

Perform a full range of Certified Athletic Trainer duties. All services performed shall fall within those guidelines established by the National Athletic Trainers Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

Responsibilities

• Prevent, recognize, treat and rehabilitate injuries.
• Provide evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries incurred, including but not limited to: progressive resistance exercise (PRE), open and closed chain kinetic exercises, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), manual therapy and joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, hydrocollator, cryotherapy, ultrasound, phonophoresis, iontophoresis, and all varieties of muscle stimulation.
• Provide treatment for soft tissue damage, acute and chronic edema, post-surgical edema, muscle atrophy, pain, overuse injuries, decreased circulation and loss of strength due to injury or biomechanical imbalance.
• Provide emergency first aid, evaluation and treatment of injuries, and aid in preliminary diagnosis to include recognition of severity of injury, rendering initial treatment and performing initial examination.
• Design and fabricate protective pads, equipment and braces for the prevention and treatment of injuries including the use of proper taping techniques.
• Operate and perform duties as otherwise assigned by a designated Sports Medicine physician, and/or member designated by HPS/CC within their professional scope of care.
• Attend meetings/briefings pertaining to the Athletic Training Program as requested and under the advisement of the designated Sports Medicine Physician and the HPS/CC.
• Perform comprehensive clinical examinations of patients with musculoskeletal injuries (upper extremity, lower extremity, head/neck, thorax, pelvis, spine) or exertional injuries/conditions (such as, but not limited to, exertional rhabdomyolysis, heat cramps, exertional heat stroke). This examination will incorporate an appropriate history and physical examination, which will inform clinical reasoning.
• Interpret findings and formulate a differential diagnosis and/or diagnosis and determine underlying impairments. Develop and implement an appropriate plan for further assessment or referral, treatment, activity limitations, and clinical follow-up.
• Perform therapeutic modalities to include warm and cold whirlpools, electrical stimulation, thermotherapies, therapeutic massage, exercise protocols, Kinesio taping, care of open wounds utilizing proper sterile techniques/universal precautions, and heat mitigation/ice immersion as outlined in Heat Protocols/Heat Stroke Algorithm with Heat Training annually.
• Develop and implement strength training and aerobic conditioning programs for implementation in large group settings for performance optimization and primary prevention of injuries.
• Provide appropriate corrective exercise programs to address neuromuscular control, posture, lumbopelvic and foot core stability, and functional/occupational reconditioning.
• Instruct and counsel service members regarding compliance with prescribed therapeutic regimens and HP maintenance.
• Assist in coordinating and supervising the fitness of service members who are either working to recover from an injury and/or have failed a physical fitness test.
• Ensure no added overall health risk is involved in the design and implementation of fitness, nutrition and conditioning programs customized to meet individual service member needs.
• Evaluate and recommend new techniques and equipment that would enhance the benefit of performance optimization for the sports medicine team.
• Design and implement conditioning programs (flexibility, strength, cardiovascular fitness) to reduce the risk of injury and illness.
• Complete the required documentation of service members evaluations and therapeutic interventions. Document all medical evaluations and treatment activities in the electronic health record of the patient. The data from the encounter will be completely documented and signed (closed out) within 72 hours of the encounter.
• Participate in research, including CPI, tracking outcomes, and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved studies. This will, at a minimum, include the collection of data for later analysis, but could include analysis and publication within the scope of HCW and the direction of a designated Sports Medicine physician, and/or member designated by HPS/CC.
• Educate service members to enhance their general knowledge of sports medicine concepts, injury prevention strategies, self-rehabilitative techniques, and functional movement assessment, to develop independence of action and allow participation in their own fitness prescriptions.
• Educate and advise service members regarding the nutritional aspects of physical activity and on the importance of acclimatization, fluid and electrolyte balance in the prevention of illnesses.
• Provide appropriate clinical follow-up for reevaluation of injuries. Document all evaluation and treatment activities in the patient's electronic medical record. All data from the encounter will be completely documented and signed (closed out) within 72 hours of the encounter.
• Assess service members to screen for factors that would increase their risk of injury/illness. These screening procedures may include but are not limited to musculoskeletal flexibility assessment, muscular strength and endurance assessment, cardiovascular fitness assessment, postural and ergonomic assessment and body composition assessments.
• Select, apply and evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions using the best evidence to guide those decisions. Interventions used by athletic trainers include techniques to restore joint range of motion and muscle extensibility, exercises to improve strength, endurance, speed and power, activities to improve balance, neuromuscular control and coordination, agility training, exercises to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, and sport-specific and/or functional exercises.
• Partner with sports medicine physician(s) to ensure clinical care objectives are met, keeping patient safety and quality, trusted care at the highest level of priority.
• Perform daily clinical care within the ATF and ensure the rendered care is smooth and timely as well as facilitate appropriate communication of patient care/status between the patient, training instructors, and the healthcare system.
• Provide and complete 3 peer reviews of patient care documentation to a designated Sports Medicine physician, and/or member designated by HPS/CC by the first day of the month.
• May independently provide medical coverage and oversight of unit physical training activities providing emergency medical triage and response including on-site medical care (i.e., rectal thermometer use, cold water immersion, Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM) ventilation, BLS interventions, c-spine immobilization, etc.) when needed within their scope of care.
• May work in conjunction with other emergency medical support personnel, in these instances, the HCW shall primarily focus on musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation and prevention while the emergency medical support personnel will focus on emergency medical triage and response. However, both may assist and augment each other within their scope of care as needed.
• Provide athletic training services to patients to include on/off-site initial emergency evaluation and treatment IAW applicable policies of 59th MDW, 37th TRW, 502d Air Base Wing (ABW), AETC, DHA, and the USAF. In some cases, this may include first-responder emergency responses to any victim of a medical emergency within the immediate proximity of the HCW, to include civilian or foreign military personnel, whether during or outside the hours of physical training.
• Work under the supervision of a designated Sports Medicine physician, and/or member designated by the HPS.
• Evaluate and treat patient independently as described within this document and the current, approved versions of "Athletic Trainer Standard Operating Procedures".
• Perform other medical management and CPI initiatives within the scope of their care as an athletic trainer including immediate and emergency care, injury prevention initiatives, clinical evaluation and diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, and healthcare administration and organizational management and communication to promote patient well-being as directed by a designated Sports Medicine physician, and/or member designated by HPS/CC.

Requirements

• Master's degree from a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) in Athletic Training or bachelor's degree from an accredited university within the field of Athletic Training.
• Shall be certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) or National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA).
• In-person Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, as accepted by the American Heart Association (AHA), (Healthcare Providers for clinical providers) or by the American Red Cross, is required. Online courses are not acceptable to meet the BLS requirement.
• At least one (1) year experience in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a high school, collegiate, professional, or military settings.
• Bachelor's degree must have at least three (3) years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a high school, collegiate, professional, or military settings.
• Senior level: Master's degree with at least five (5) or more years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a high school, collegiate, professional, or military settings or bachelor's degree must have eight (8) or more years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries in a high school, collegiate, professional, or military settings.
• Head level: Ten (10) or more years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing musculoskeletal injuries as a certified athletic trainer in a high school, college, professional sports, or military training setting is required. Three (