An Examination of Employment Model and Policy and Procedure Practices of Secondary School Athletic Trainers

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the policy and procedure practices of secondary school athletic trainers based on employment models. Methods: Following an online informed consent confirmation, participants completed a Policies and procedures status questionnaire, including demographics. This was distributed to certified athletic trainers currently employed in the secondary school setting in the United States. The survey consisted of 49 questions about the status of policies and procedures being in operation and/or written form. Results from the policies and procedures questionnaire were combined with the recorded employment model type to compare the status of policies and procedures between employment models. This study utilized descriptive and inferential statistics consisting of means, frequencies, percentages, and chi square analyses to report results that described and compared the current status of policies and procedures based on employment model. Results: There was a total of 232 participants. Fifty-nine percent (59.9%) of participants were directly employed athletic trainers and 40.1% were outreach employed athletic trainers. Policy and procedure manuals were in existence according to 72% of the participants. A total of 49 variables were inquired about. Of the 26 clinically significant (pConclusion: The results revealed that athletic trainers who identified the outreach employment model were more likely to have policies in both operation and in written form over those identifying with the directly employed model.