Athletic Trainer

Major Responsibilities:

• Performs injury assessments and refers patient for necessary care. Communicates with patients to answer questions and to instruct in self-care and prevention and treatment. Communicates with Physician and medical team to help determine need for special tests or services.
• Establishes a plan of care and implements individual treatment based on evaluation results, health goals and by utilizing appropriate techniques. Communicates plan of care to all involved in patient's care. Monitors and evaluates outcomes and appropriately adjusts the individualized treatment plan based on the patient's response to treatment.
• Identifies factors affecting patient's physical and psychosocial comfort and attends to these needs. Able to work with diverse patient population.
• Plans for and completes patient discharge including providing written home programs, patient/family teaching, referral for community services, and ordering equipment.
• Directs athletes in performance enhancement programs for fitness or sports.
• Completes all required documentation following department policy, including patient assessment, patient progress notes, outreach contract/ community partner documentation and discharge summaries as appropriate, to record patient care and progress of each patient assigned as well as daily statistics, billing, and scheduling. Applies insurance guidelines for proper authorization of services.
• Identifies and explores ways to enhance and increase outreach opportunities in the community to generate revenue through referrals and patient visits, and/or increase community health education and program awareness.
• Responsible for clean up after patient treatment, putting away equipment and keeping area neat and orderly. Responsible for appropriate maintenance of outreach equipment; works within budget for outreach supply ordering and use; communicates with outreach liaison regarding day to day operations of outreach contract.
• Performs various patient positioning, transferring and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required:

• Athletic Trainer license issued by the state of Wisconsin, and
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 6 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and
• A valid drivers license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles, or

Education Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Athletic Training or related field.

Experience Required:

• No experience required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to include communicating with physicians, staff, community partners, and other patients/customers related to sports medicine.
• Demonstrated ability to work on a multidisciplinary team in order to effectively treat and understand the needs of the sports medicine patients.
• Demonstrated ability to independently make sound decisions regarding problems or operational issues.
• Strong writing and organizational skills.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Must be able to:
• lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist.
• Lift up to 10 lbs. from waist to overhead.
• Lift and carry up to 40 lbs. at waist height a reasonable distance.
• Must be able to:
• push/pull with 30 lbs. of force.
• Perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs. with a second person present.
• Exposed to normal office environment.
• Must have ability to work flexible schedule and in an environment that varies from office to outside temperatures/varying outdoor environments.
• Position requires travel so will be exposed to weather and road conditions.
• Must have functional use of senses to allow effective communication.
• Ability to perform fine manipulation for dressing and massage applications.
• Must frequently walk, assist and lift patient(s) as needed.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Exposed to electrical and chemical hazards as well as blood and bodily fluids and is thus required to wear protective apparel as necessary.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.