The Significance of the Topic
The significance of Emergency action plans (EAPs) has become an essential topic of study among scholars and professionals responsible for athletes’ welfare. The sports industry involves not only state-of-the-art medical achievements to provide excellent performance but is complex from the organizational point of view. EAPs are related to topics such as athletics training and professional representation. Researchers in this area are focused on the essence of effective EAPs in professional practice and in schools. They are concerned with how safety has been limited and the best recommendations for improved outcomes. The main questions addressed include: How do EAPs relate to athletes’ safety? Who is responsible for EAP implementation? What is the connection between equipment, training, and athletes’ safety?
Background Information and Terminology
Athletics form a vital part of institutions, states, global economics, and individual welfare through recreation. Researchers base their studies on the background knowledge derived over the years from sports participation, either professionally or at institutional levels. From athletic history, emergency response has been noted as a serious issue due to unprecedented situations that lead to minor or severe injuries. Some of the terminologies involved in this field are EAPs, emergencies, catastrophic injuries, procedures, planning, athletics, training, and physical education. These terms form the foundations on which in-depth research into the aspect of athletic safety is approached. When addressing the professional dimension, authors rely on existing organizations for background information, from which they formulate hypotheses (Andersen et al. 99). The authors focusing on athletics at the high school level use the available policies, equipment, and trainer reviews at the school level to address the gaps found therein.
Methods Used
When researching the topic of the importance of emergency action plans for athletes, Andersen et al. refer to the current positions within the professional athletic association to derive the gaps in athletics safety (99). From the understanding that most of the injuries sustained during athletics are relatively minor, Andersen et al. take the discussion further, looking into the probabilities of life-threatening accidents during physical activity within and outside professional athletics (99). This dimension is crucial in the EAP topic because it gives researchers a more comprehensive view of the current challenges within the field. Through literature review, Andersen et al. evaluate literature and draw on expert review to summarize the lessons learned from previous emergency situations and infer appropriate EAP actions for athlete safety and wellbeing (100). Literature review, in this case, provided an efficient way to gather information from a variety of sources, increasing the applicability of the results developed thereafter.
The significance of EAP at the high school level as an essential factor for developing viable long-term solutions has also attracted the attention of researchers. Casa et al. venture into EAP by evaluating the literature on best practices recommended by professional athletic associations such as the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, among others (546). The authors rely on published data and statistics on the safety of high school athletes to develop a set of guidelines for effective EAP (Casa et al. 548). Similarly, Popp et al. use available literature from institutions such as the National Council of Youth Sports to demarcate EAP into equipment and personnel, revealing the significance of EAP in athletics training and management (633). Basing their data on the information published by professional bodies adds to the relevance and verifiability of results.
While most of the authors relied on previous research, a survey proved to be crucial for institution-based EAP evaluation. Pryor et al. used a cross-sectional survey based on public secondary schools within the U.S. to get a clear picture of the availability and professionalism of athletic trainers (ATs) (156). From the analysis, the authors concluded that ATs play a crucial role in facilitating EAP implementation, consequently leading to athletes’ safety (Pryor et al. 157). The same design was applied by Toresdahl et al. to study the roles played by automated external defibrillators (AED) in managing cardiac arrest in U.S. high schools (243). Since cardiac arrests are some of the severe incidents in athletics, the cross-sectional study provided a comparative analysis among several schools leading to a better outcome. In summary, researchers in this field relied on two main research approaches; analyzing literature review and cross-sectional surveys.
Points of Agreement
The significance of EAP for athletes’ safety is the point on which all authors agree despite researching different aspects of safety and wellbeing. Casa et al. feel that at this level, issues and barriers that affect the delivery of adequate security and precautionary services must be addressed (550). One among the pressing topics is that each state’s sports federation or legal system (or both) is responsible for drafting and enforcing its own set of safety regulations, as shown by Andersen et al. (101). Popp et al. confirm this view by arguing that, at all levels of physical education and recreational venues, an EAP is required (634). In addition, all the authors concur that although serious accidents are uncommon, having an EAP in place can guarantee a successful response, which is essential for a good outcome.
The association of EAP implementation, personnel, and equipment has also formed a central discussion point in this field. Pryor et al. and Toresdahl et al. agree that the practical application of EAP depends on the quality of resources available in terms of safety equipment and the availability of trained personnel. Pryor et al. showed that schools with ATs performed better in athletic safety management than those without them. In agreement, Toresdahl et al. showed that AEDs and their appropriate application through training led to improved outcomes (243). In essence, they feel that although EAPs are necessary, their efficacy depends on proper utilization.
Point of Disagreement
The academic community devoted to studying the importance of EAP for athletes follows the notion that emergency action plans positively impact the resolution of emergencies during events and training. However, most academic disputes are based on developing proper legal regulations to ensure maximum safety during an emergency. The main point of contention here is that some scholars claim that every state has to have its own set of laws and rules regarding EAP development (Casa et al. 550). Others believe that emergency action plans should be mandatory and federal agencies should impose legislation to ensure that EAPs are standardized across the United States (Andersen et al. 102). The proponents of this position borrow evidence from safety-related areas of knowledge, such as fire safety departments. On the contrary, scholars that believe in a state-by-state regulation focus on evidence from successful cases of emergency resolution. Comparatively, the authors advocating for state-based programs have stronger evidence since past events are vital for future policy development.
Unknown Points and Future Research
The research points evaluated herein show that much focus has been paid to EAP development through policy formulation, infrastructure development, personnel, and equipment. Little attention has been given to the influence of EAPs on athletes’ psychological development. This area would include topics such as the impacts of different safety measures on trainers’ and athletes’ perceptions of personal safety. In this area, one may desire to know how safety precautions developed by the state determine individual responsibilities towards precautionary measures. In essence, the goal should not be turning athletes into individuals devoid of accountability but rather facilitating effective collaboration between trainers, professional bodies, and athletes for improved outcomes.
The range of topics for the future study of the subject is expanding. The contributing factors to this expansion include technological advancement that provides new opportunities for increasing emergency plans’ efficiency. The studies that focus on implementing new equipment and personnel training are also relevant as they provide observational evidence on its efficiency that can be used to improve training programs. Therefore future research is expected to divert from focusing only on policy formulation to integrating professionalism in training and the availability of equipment for enhanced safety and wellbeing. This is primarily because researchers have come to appreciate the role of efficient resource application in athletes’ safety.
In essence, emergency action plans for athletes are critical as they may save the lives, health, and careers of athletes and visitors to the competition. Several steps should be followed to develop an effective EAP. Each of those areas has a wide variety of research topics. Although scholars mostly agree on the importance of the subject, there is an expanding scope for future studies as scholars provide valuable data and develop recommendations that enhance training efficiency and create effective strategies for emergency resolution.
Works Cited
Andersen, J. C., et al. “National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Emergency Planning In Athletics.” Journal of Athletic Training vol. 37 no. 1, 2002, 99-103.
Casa, Douglas J., et al. “The Inter-Association Task Force For Preventing Sudden Death In Secondary School Athletics Programs: Best-Practices Recommendations.” Journal of Athletic Training vol. 48 no. 4, 2013, 546-553.
Popp, Jennifer K., David Berry, and Lawrence W. Judge. “Physical Education and Athletic Facility Emergency Readiness: The Emergency Action Plan.” Physical Educator vol. 75 no. 4, 2018, 633-646.
Pryor, Riana R., et al. “Athletic Training Services In Public Secondary Schools: A Benchmark Study.” Journal of Athletic Training vol. 50 no. 2, 2015, 156-162.
Toresdahl, Brett G., Kimberly G. Harmon, and Jonathan A. Drezner. “High School Automated External Defibrillator Programs as Markers of Emergency Preparedness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest.” Journal of Athletic Training vol. 48 no. 2, 2013, 242-247.