The Combined Tool Approach to Football Face Mask Removal was first described by Gale, Decoster, and Swartz in 2008.  In it, the authors found football face mask removal was nearly 100% effective when using the FMxtractor.  Since 2008 the Combined Tool Approach has become a standard football face mask removal strategy, and the effectiveness of the FMx further solidified.  Modern football helmet face mask attachment systems have evolved drastically since 2008, and only the FMx has been demonstrated to work on ALL attachment systems, old and new; every time!  Can you say the same of your antiquated Trainers’ Angel or garden tool style cutter?  No!  You cannot.

The FMx is part of Sports Medicine Concepts’ |Flawless| Suite of Products.

Learn more and see the FMx in action!

Sports Medicine Concepts’ Sports Emergency Care Simulation Lab
Livonia, NY

Sports Medicine Concepts’ In 2Min or Less! staff received 2 days of specialized Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification and sports emergency simulation training this past week in the company’s SEC Simulation Lab.  The training required all SMC athletic trainers to pass the AHA ACLS certification test that includes leading a MEGA code.  According to SMC Program Director, Mike Cendoma, having all instructors ACLS Certified is a priority because it allows instructors to better facilitate the coordination of a multi-disciplined medical response team and ensures that all medical teams are able to meet ACLS benchmarks throughout the entire chain of survival.  SMC’s In 2Min or Less! staff has always been comprised the most highly qualified professionals.  Annual ACLS Certification and simulation training is just another qualification that further solidifies SMC’s position as the premier provider of elite sports emergency care training.

Learn more about In 2Min or Less! and how it can prepare your medical team to respond FLAWLESSLY during management of a critically injured athlete.

While veteran ALS simulator and resident pre-Madonna Wheezer chats with rookie SimMan ALS Norm about the upcoming training schedule, the rest of SMC was busy stocking equipment kits.  It takes nearly 1500 lbs of specialized sports emergency care equipment to administer Sports Medicine Concepts’ acclaimed In 2Min or Less! sports emergency care program.  It is the job of our Logistics Manager to make sure it all gets to where it needs to be on time!  Here, the warehouse is almost ready for the trucks that will pick up the equipment kits and ship them throughout the country during this summer’s training.  They will not return until the end of August!  SMC staff will complete 2 days of instructor simulation training and ACLS certification next week as the final countdown begins.

A recent article in the JAT titled, Airway Management in Athletes Wearing Lacrosse Equipment, brings up the debate about use of supraglottic airway devices (SGA) by athletic trainers.   Of course one always needs to consider local regulations and state practice acts when addressing this debate, but here are some interesting points that have come up as we discussed the issue relative to New York State.  SMC’s EMS Liaison, Peter Bonadonna suggested that there is no specific NYSDOT barrier to the use of SGA devices by ATs, specifically. If a supervising physician were to provide a SGA via prescription to an AT, and the use of such a device were written into the ATs standing orders, it would be technically possible for an AT to use a SGA.  Although these devices are very simple to use they do require ACLS level training in order to understand their proper indications and contraindications.  Therefore, it is unlikely that a typical supervising physician would provide a prescription and standing orders for use of a device that they themselves are not uniquely qualified to use or for use by an AT without ACLS certification.  But it is not out of the realm of possibility for ATs to acquire ACLS certification and have standing orders that provide for the use of SGA devices as part of a comprehensive emergency action plan overseen by an appropriately qualified physician.  This situation is quite possible in professional athletics where there is a trauma physician who may desire to have access to SGA devices during regular season practices or during training camp when trauma physician and paramedics are not on-site.  Although the NYS practice act for ATs does not specifically provide for the use of a SGA device, it does not appear to specifically exclude their use under these conditions.

Remember, there is always someone in the stands who is counting on you to be ultimately ready to respond |FLAWLESSLY|.  Visit www.TeamEMSoft.com Today.

Two recent press releases by the AHA support Sports Medicine Concepts’ long held belief that all athletic trainers should have an AED WITH THEM on the sidelines at ALL TIMES.  According to new research published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, patients who received AED shock therapy from a bystander prior to the arrival of EMS had a significantly greater chance of survival and recovery without impairment relative to those who received AED shock therapy after an average 4-10 min delay caused by EMS response time.  This is not news to most of us, but it does demonstrate how devastating a delay in AED shock therapy can be.  There is a 10% reduction in chance of survival for every minute AED shock therapy is delayed.  If ATs are relying on wall mounted units rather than AEDs right on the sideline, there will be a significant and unnecessary delay in delivery of AED shock therapy relative to having a unit with them on the sideline.  Furthermore, two recent AHA surveys found that more than half of workplace workers were unable to locate public access AEDs.  This means that ATs who send a co-worker to retrieve an AED while they initiate high quality CPR may experience significant delays in the delivery of AED shock therapy because coworkers will likely have trouble remembering where the AED units are located, particularly in an emergency.

So what does this mean for ATs?

First, relaying on public access AEDs is not the most effective strategy to incorporate into an emergency action plan.  ATs should have a dedicated AED that is on the sideline with the rest of their emergency response equipment.  Second, if a dedicated AED for the AT is not possible, ATs should ensure that a wall mounted AED is as close to each sporting venue as possible.  And, finally, ATs must establish an emergency action plan that involves training to ensure that appropriate personnel know exactly where the AEDs are located and that they can be accessed quickly.  Remember, a 2 min or greater delay in shock therapy is a real possibility that would result in a 20% or more reduction in the chance of survival!  It is hard to justify accepting such a risk when prevention measures can be so readily implemented.  SMC’s In 2Min or Less!® competencies require an emergency action plan that results in the first shock from an AED being delivered within 2 Min or Less!® of collapse.

For more information regarding emergency action planning, visit www.TeamEMSoft.com today.  Visit Sports Medicine Concepts today to learn more about scheduling elite In 2Min or Less® sports emergency care training.

Registration for SMC’s Concussion Management Specialist Winter Session II Closes Monday am at 10 am.

Monday February 19th – 22nd, 10:45 am – 12:30 pm

If these dates and times are not convenient, you can complete the program via our very convenient recorded sessions option that allows you to view program sessions at your leisure!

Register Now!

Please register for CMS Winter Session II on Monday, February 19, 2018 10:45 AM – 12:30 PM EST at: (If you are unable to attend the live session times, you can view the recorded sessions.)
https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/3199044862437366786

The Concussion Management Specialist (CMS®) certificate is earned by completing the curriculum outlined below.  As with all SMC programming, this is a serious educational curriculum intended to elevate the standards of care provided by sports health care professionals.  It is, therefore, an advanced program of study that goes far beyond other simple home study style programming.  The program is completed through a series of scheduled live and recorded webinars, completion of assignments, and a final review.  SMC is approved to offer 15 EBP category continuing education for athletic trainers so participants will receive continuing education credits as well as the CMS® Certificate.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.

Learn more

“Some of us will do our jobs well and some of us will not, 
but we will all be judged by only one thing – THE RESULT” – Vince Lombardi

If you couldn’t make one of our TeamEMSoft |Flawless| overview session, don’t fret.  We recorded them for you.

View Intro
View Overview Recording
Visit TeamEMSoft |Flawless|

Due to the overwhelming number of requests, SMC has added a new CMS session to the Winter calendar.  We hope you will plan to join us, but please do so soon as each class is limited to 50 participants.

Learn more

Register Now

Early Bird Discount Code: “CMS2018” (Before February 5th, 2018)
CMS Recert Discount Code: “CMSRecert”