§3301.  Short title

This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Law.

§3302. Definitions

As used in this Chapter. the following words and phrases have the meanings hereinafter ascuibed to them:

(1)     “Athletic trainer” means a person with the specific qualifications set forth in R.S.37:3306 who, under the direction and supervision of a medical physician carries out the practice of prevention, emergency management, and physical rehabilitation of injuries incurred by athletes at any educational institution, professional athletic organization, and any athletes participating in athletic competition or events sponsored by these organizations or other board sanctioned organization. In carrying out these functions, the athletic trainer shall use whatever physical modalities are prescribed by a team physician or consulting physician or both.

(2)     “Board” means the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

(3)     “Board sanctioned” means such associations including but not limited to the Amateur Athletic Union, the International Olympic Committee and its affiliates, the Pan American Committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, college and university intramural sports, and National High School Athletic Association sports events.

(4)     “Department” means the Louisiana Department of Health arid Human Resources.

(5)     “Educational institution” means a university,

 college, junior college, high school, junior high school, or grammar school, whether public or private.

(6)     “Emergency management”  means the immediate  

care given to an injured athlete until the services of a physician can be obtained. To accomplish this care, an athletic trainer may use such methods as accepted first aid procedures established by the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association and protocol previously established by the athletic trainer and the team or consulting physicians.

(7)     “Medical physician”  means a person licensed to practice medicine by the board in the state.

(8)     “Physical rehabilitation” means the care given to athletes following injury and recovery. These treatments and rehabilitation programs may consist of preestablished methods of physical modality use and exercise as prescribed by a team physician, consulting physician, or both.   Physical rehabilitation also includes working cooperatively with and under the direction of a medical physician in respect to the following:

(a) Reconditioning procedures.

(b) Operation of therapeutic devices and equipment.

(c) Fitting of braces, guards, and other protective devices.

(d) Referrals to other physicians, auxiliary health services, and institutions.

(9)  “Practice of prevention” shall include but is not limited to the following:

(a) Working cooperatively with supervisors and coaches in establishing and implementing a program of physical conditioning for athletes.

 

(b) Applying protective or injury-preventive devices such as taping, padding, bandaging, strapping, wrapping, or bracing.

(c) Working cooperatively with supervisors, coaches, and a team physician or consulting physician in the selection and fitting of protective athletic equipment for each athlete and constantly monitoring that equipment for safety.

(d) Counseling and advising supervisors, coaches, and athletes an physical conditioning and training such as diet, flexibility, rest, arid reconditioning.

§3303. Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners; powers and duties

A.    The board shall:

(1) Keep a record of its proceedings regarding the regulation and certification of athletic trainers in a book maintained for that purpose.

(2) Keep a complete roster of all certified athletic trainers and make a copy of the roster available to any person requesting it on payment of a fee established by the board as sufficient to cover the costs of the roster.

(3) Certify athletic trainers in a manner consistent with the provisions of this Chapter.

(4) Adopt rules and regulations necessary for the performance of its duties.

(5) Prescribe application forms for certification.

(6)   Establish guidelines for athletic trainers in the state.

B.       The board shall conduct a certification examination at least  

         once every year at a time and place fixed by the board.

C.     The board shall require continuing education units to 

         maintain certification.

D.     The board shall collect the following fees:

(1) Examination fee                           $75.00

(2) Athletic trainers certificate          $35.00

(3) Renewal fee                                  $25.00

(4) Issuance of duplicate certificate    $ 5.00

E.       The fees collected under the provisions of this Chapter 

         shall be credited to the Louisiana State Board of Medical  

         Examiners.

§3304. Exemptions from civil liability

No member of the board shall be liable in any civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution of his duties under this Chapter.

§3305. Prohibited activities

On and after September 30^th, 1985, no person shall hold himself out as an athletic trainer or perform, for compensation or any other means of remuneration, any of the activities of an athletic trainer as defined in this Chapter without first obtaining a certificate under this Chapter; however, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to prevent any person from serving as a student-trainer, assistant trainer, teacher-trainer, or any similar position. Nothing in this Chapter shall require the certification of athletic trainers at nonpublic schools. Nothing in this Chapter should be construed to prevent an assigned athletic coach from administering and supervising his normal sports activities.

§3306. Qualification

A.  A person who applies for an athletic trainer certificate must possess at least one of the following qualifications:

(1) The applicant shall have met the athletic training curriculum requirements of a college or university approved by the board and provide proof of graduation.

(2) The applicant shall hold a degree in physical therapy

from a school approved by the board and shall have

completed a basic athletic framing course, a first aid course as approved by the American Red Cross, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation course as approved by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross, and a nutrition course, and the applicant shall have spent two years in association with an athletic team, show proficiency in acute athletic care, and have letters of recommendation from a physician and a licensed athletic trainer.

(3) The applicant shall have completed, beyond the

       secondary school level, either as an undergraduate or

 graduate student, at least four years as an apprentice athletic trainer at a college or university under the direct supervision of an athletic trainer approved by the board. Three of the four years shall be consecutive years under such supervision, military duty excepted. An applicant for certification under this provision shall provide proof of graduation from an accredited college or university and of successful completion of courses in athletic training, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and nutrition.

B.     The board may certify as an athletic trainer in this state after a written examination given by the board a person who has been so certified or licensed in another state of the United States

and who meets all requirements of this Chapter.

§3307. Requirements for certification

A.     A person who wishes to apply for an athletic trainer

certificate shall apply to the board on forms prescribed by the board and shall pay the examination fee required by

R.S.37:.3303(D).

B.     The applicant shall be entitled to an athletic trainers certificate if he possesses the qualifications enumerated in R.S.373306, successfully completes the examination adrmnistered by the board to the satisfaction of the board, pays the certificate fee required by R.S.37:3303(D), and has not committed an act which constitutes grounds for denial of a certificate under R.S.37:3308.

C.     A certificate issued under this Chapter shall expire on June

30th of each year.  Each certificate shall be renewed on or before June 30th of each year in accordance with the procedure established by the board and upon payment of the renewal fee.

§3308. Certification; denial, revocation, or suspension

A.     The board may refuse to issue a certificate to an applicant or may suspend or revoke the certificate of any person if he has

committed any of the following acts:

(1)  Violated standards of practice established and

promulgated by the board.

(2) Secured the certificate by fraud or deceit

(3)  Violated or conspired to violate the provisions of this

Chapter or rules promulgated pursuant to this Chapter.

B.     Upon application and the payment of the reinstatement fee, the board may reinstate and reissue a certificate to a person

whose certificate has been revoked; however, the application may not be made prior to the expiration of twelve months after the order of revocation becomes final. The application shall be made in the manner and form prescribed by the board.

C.       A suspension of a certificate shall be for a specified period of not less than one year.

 

 

§3309. Hearing

A.     Any person whose application for a certificate or for renewal of a certificate is denied shall be entitled to a hearing in accordance with procedures established by the Administrative Procedure Act.

B.     The board may suspend or revoke a certificate for any cause stated in R.S.37:3308, but only after notice and opportunity for a hearing are provided to the certificate holder. Proceedings for such revocation or suspension of a certificate shall be commenced by filing charges against the certificate holder in writing and under oath with the board.

§3310. Acquisition of certificate by present athletic trainer

A.     Notwithstanding any provision of this Chapter to the contrary, any person actively engaged as an athletic trainer as defined by R.S.37:3302 in the state on the effective date of this Chapter shall be issued certification without examination if he submits to the board an application, a certificate from the National Athletic Trainers Association with membership number and distinct certification numbers, is approved by the board, and pays the certificate fee required by R.S.37:3303(D).

B.     Any person who has been actively engaged as an athletic trainer for a period of three years prior to the effective date of this Chapter and is recommended by his team physician and two certified Louisiana athletic trainers shall be issued a certificate if he submits an application, is approved by the board, and pays the certificate fee required by R.S.37:3303(D).

C.     Any person who has been actively engaged as an athletic trainer for three years but does not meet the education requirements, but who submits an application, is approved by the board, takes the certification test, passes, and pays the certificate fee required by R.S.37:3303(D) shall be issued a certificate.

D.     For the purposes of this Section, a person is actively engaged as an athletic trainer if he is employed by an educational institution, professional athletic organization, or other board sanctioned athletic organization for the duration of the institutions school year or the length of the athletic organizations season and performs the duties of the athletic trainer as the major responsibility of his employment and that being his primary employment.

E.     After a period of one year from the effective date of this Chapter, no person shall be certified under the provisions of this Section.

§3311. Limitation

A.     No provision of this Chapter shall be construed to limit or prevent any person duly licensed or certified under the laws of this state from practicing the profession for which he is licensed or certified.

B.     The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to any athletic trainer who is employed in another state by an educational institution or athletic organization when he accompanies the athletes or team of such institution or organization into this state for the purpose of an athletic contest.

§3312. Penalty

Any person who violates any provision of this Chapter

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in parish jail for not more than six months, or both.