Wow, what a day! I've been a certified athletic trainer for nearly 8 months now. Its something I've wanted to do since my freshman year of high school and I have never once doubted my career choice...until today.
In Kansas athletic trainers work under the care of a physician. When you get your license, your supervising physician "checks-off" what you can and can't do without the athlete coming into the clinic to see them. Today, for the first time I had a parent of a high school kid get mad at me for these "state laws".
This particular athlete had hurt herself a couple of weeks ago. Because she was in "extreme pain" she was taken by her parents to another physician. Because she is not under the physician care of my physician, there isn't anything I can do for her without written documentation and a protocol from her caring physician.
This was explained to her mom Tuesday when I was at the school. Although mom was not happy, she seemed to understand. I told her that she either needed to go back to her first doctor, or come to the doctor I work for and we could get her rehabilitation started.
Mom called me this afternoon and wanted an appointment with my clinic this afternoon. I called work and pulled a few string to get the athlete in TODAY (talk about patient care!). Anyway, 15 minutes after the athlete was supposed to be at the clinic (and the physician ready to go home) my office called me and told me that my athlete had not shown up. I called the mom, and she had decided not to bring her daughter to the clinic and hadn't bothered to call and say they weren't coming.
While on the phone with mom, she wouldn't let me talk at all. Anytime I went to talk, she would interrupt me and tell me that I didn't care rather her daughter was hurt or not and she didn't agree with the fact that the school paid fore me to be there and I wouldn't help her daughter.
Sorry parents, I'm not putting my license on the line for you when the rules have been explained to you....hopefully tomorrow will be better! HAPPY FRIDAY!
-Heather
Interesting story! Hopefully most of the parents you work with are a bit more understanding. thanks for the invite.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!! Sounds frustrating too! No such rule here in NH!
ReplyDeleteYes Martha, Kansas as some "stupid" rules. I thought so when I was in high school (as to when we could practice in the summer, etc) but now that I am a "working girl" I am learning that Kansas seems to "behind the times" in a lot of aspects. It's definitely a learning experience for me!
ReplyDelete