Sports Physicals

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Mar 16, 2016

I am responsible. I track them (I watch the sign up sheets for every season). Mine are in the computer so I can run a report that shows who is current. I build an email list of the coaches and start notifying them as soon as I have the list as to who is missing a physical and remind them they cannot participate. As soon as I see that a kid needs one I email the parents. Often it has been done and I just need the to get it to me. In the email I also list places that can do them quick (urgent care centers etc) and attach our form. It is usually the frosh and new students that need them (we only require once in HS, I would prefer at least 2x). In Sept I run a list and mark off who has them and try to update that as they come in over the course of the year.

I will also go to the first few practices and remind the coaches and the player they cannot even try out without the clearance. Amazing how quickly they come in after that!

I do get extra time/money in the summer for the fall preseason as that is one of the busiest times.

Eleven011 · Mar 16, 2016

I have absolutely nothing to do with it, thank goodness! We have a day that we bus all students who fill out the form to our local clinic and they get their physical. After that the Office/AD takes care of it. All I worry about is filling out my own kids's forms :)

Cattz, ADN · Mar 16, 2016

I have absolutely nothing to do with it, thank goodness! We have a day that we bus all students who fill out the form to our local clinic and they get their physical. After that the Office/AD takes care of it. All I worry about is filling out my own kids's forms :)

You are very vey lucky. Happy for you!

Cattz, ADN · Mar 16, 2016

I am responsible. I track them (I watch the sign up sheets for every season). Mine are in the computer so I can run a report that shows who is current. I build an email list of the coaches and start notifying them as soon as I have the list as to who is missing a physical and remind them they cannot participate. As soon as I see that a kid needs one I email the parents. Often it has been done and I just need the to get it to me. In the email I also list places that can do them quick (urgent care centers etc) and attach our form. It is usually the frosh and new students that need them (we only require once in HS, I would prefer at least 2x). In Sept I run a list and mark off who has them and try to update that as they come in over the course of the year.
I will also go to the first few practices and remind the coaches and the player they cannot even try out without the clearance. Amazing how quickly they come in after that!
I do get extra time/money in the summer for the fall preseason as that is one of the busiest times.

That is interesting. Our governing body for interscholastic sports requires them yearly. At least for your work load, that makes it less time consuming. But, wow. I am surprised that they only make them get one.

DEgalRN · Mar 16, 2016

Our AD handles them. Although I have the copies of the blank ones. I get a copy if I need a yearly physical since they count for both. Parents are responsible for getting them on their own.

Farawyn · Mar 16, 2016

UUUUUUGH!

I do them.

Kids bring in permission packet and interim sports forms. The packet goes to AD, the interim forms come to me. I check to see that the student has a physical on file within the calendar year. If they have the interim form and that, they are cleared on my end.

The coaches then come and hover in my doorway, adding and taking off kids, until I can give them a roster.

Much to the AD's dismay, I don't chase kids down for their paperwork. Not my job.

Can you tell I hate this? It's the worst part of my job.

Windchaser22 · Mar 16, 2016

Yep. By law they are required annually, with a health history update if the child starts a sport 6 months after the physical was done. Plus permission slips, concussion form, cardiac death form, participation form. All i's dotted and t's crossed or the kiddo doesn't play/practice. These forms go out as a packet at the end of the school year for the next year plus they are on the website. Physician stamp and signature must be on the physical or it gets kicked back. Then they go to the district MD after review for final clearance. Lists are made, managed, and shared with coaches through EMR. No, I don't chase. Yes we have a mass physical day in June for those that are interested.

Farawyn · Mar 16, 2016

We have physicals October June March and August.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Mar 17, 2016

Back when I was an Athletic Trainer, we did mass physicals in-house with our Team Physician. Our school nurse was not involved as this was entirely handled by the Athletics Department. This was separate from whatever was needed by the school/school district simply to be a student there and those forms were all handled by the school nurse. All clearances to play were generated by the Head AT as he (or she) kept track of each athlete. The primary reason the school nurse wasn't involved (ever) in this process is that if there ever was a health issue with any of the athletes, the Sports Med personnel required immediate access to those records. Furthermore, the Sports Med team had complete authority to prevent any student from participating in any sport or athletics activity. If you were an athlete and weren't cleared by us, you couldn't participate. Period.

Now then there always were student athletes that weren't able to make it to the mass physicals so we also provided them the forms that their physician could fill out and then be returned to us, and we'd always follow up to ensure that the student truly had been seen and was not attempting to forge a clearance.

I was also very involved in the pre-participation physicals and conducted significant portions of the exam for each athlete and my findings, along with others who were also involved in the process, were forwarded to the team physician to review and complete the physical exam. One of the benefits of being directly involved in the process of the physicals is that the Sports Med team got to know each athlete and could also establish a baseline from which injury could be evaluated, should that happen.

Nurses, if you are involved in the process, be very thankful if all you must do is paperwork review and providing a list of students that have turned in clearances to play and who have not.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Mar 17, 2016

That is interesting. Our governing body for interscholastic sports requires them yearly. At least for your work load, that makes it less time consuming. But, wow. I am surprised that they only make them get one.

Nope, as much of a pain as increased frequency would be, I would prefer (and encourage) them to be done annually.

zombieghoast · Mar 17, 2016

Its weird. We don't have any rules about physicals except for in coming kindergarten students.