Hi, my name is Ashley Williams. I completed my Master’s degree in Athletic Training at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I have 3 years of experience as an industrial Athletic Trainer in Middle Tennessee. I’m a plant mom of 10+ with a passion for health/fitness. I enjoy hiking, running, and weight training. Over the past few years, I've learned to value the golden rule more than ever. You should always treat others how you want to be treated, because essentially, we’re all human and everyone deserves fairness. Let's dive into showing respect in the workplace. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out ..read more

By: Katie Perkins, LAT, ATC Hello fellow athletic trainers! My name is Katie Perkins aka “Katie P” and I am a new member of the TATS Ethics & Compliance Committee. I am a secondary school athletic trainer in Memphis, TN at St Agnes Academy - St Dominic School. I have been an athletic trainer in the state of TN for 19 years, starting in Chattanooga before moving to Memphis. For this blog, the P in “Katie P” stands for Prudence.   Healthcare providers can be tempted to say, "It's just a clinical decision." The BOC Patient Care Responsibilities Code 1.3 states that we should demonstrate ..read more

By: Lynette Carlson, DHSc, LAT, ATC Hello Friends! My name is Lynette Carlson and I’m honored to serve as the new chair of the TATS Ethics & Compliance Committee! I am an Assistant Professor and Clinical Education Coordinator at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I also have my own practice, Sports Medicine Solutions, where I provide medical care to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, TAG Gymnastics, Chattanooga Roller Derby, and see patients as an Active Release Techniques certified provider. Over the next few months, the committee members will introduce themselves via this Choic ..read more

By Marisa A. Colston, PhD, ATC  Introducing newly hired athletic trainers to the expectations, behaviors, and culture of the organization may be a good definition of onboarding; however, the process of onboarding goes well beyond the definition. An effective onboarding experience should involve the human resources office, although that is just the tip of the iceberg. Accountability for this process lies primarily with the hiring manager, who in turn, should ensure that the whole company is engaged. When a comprehensive, inclusive, and ongoing experience occurs, employees become bonded to ..read more

By Melanie Lynn, MS, ATC/L, NASM-PES, OPE-C   As athletic trainers, the summer months can mean down time with no in-season sports or a way to earn extra money through summer camps.   Summer camps can be great for the extra funds, but does it outweigh the liability you may be taking on to cover these events?  Depending on the setting you are in or the type of summer camp, it may be up to you to acquire your own liability insurance for camp coverage.  Even if your employer is covering your liability, it might be wise to find out how much it covers and what ..read more

“Made to order” restaurants are my preferred establishments. Why? Because I’m picky! Please don’t put mustard on my sandwich. I understand the chef probably added mustard to add to the flavor profile, and she is the expert, but I really won’t eat it if there’s mustard. What good is a perfectly balanced sandwich if it is thrown away? We can look at how we treat patients in the same light. As much as I dislike patients telling me what treatments they want (“Can I have ice and stim?”), their perspective matters. And with an increase in diversity in our communities, the challenge grows. If we are ..read more

There is no question that this past year has been challenging for everyone.  Many Athletic Trainers (ATs) likely found themselves confronted with job tasks and descriptions more aligned with public health than providing traditional athletic training services. Fortunately, ATs excel at adapting. This past year has been filled with example that demonstrate our versatility and willingness to step into new roles as needed. When the pandemic came to our state, I transitioned into symptom screenings at the hospital of my employment.  One of the most challenging aspects of screeni ..read more

Marisa A. Colston, PhD, ATC and Gretchen Schlabach, PhD, ATC   The NATA Professional Responsibility in Athletic Training (PRAT) Committee received support from the NATA Board of Directors to identify shared professional values (PV) among NATA members. To date, unlike many other healthcare professional organizations, members of the NATA do not have shared PV. Our members must abide by and be mindful of the numerous legal, ethical and regulatory (LER) statutes, principles, and rules of professional practice in athletic training (aka, compliance orientation). While this form of orientation s ..read more

The week of March 9, 2020 started with all of the U.S. fairly aware of the ensuing situation regarding the Cornavirus, aka COVID-19.  I do not believe that any of us could have been prepared for how the week would end…canceling of pro, college and high school athletics, shutting down of schools, restriction of flights, a heightened awareness of COVID-19 and a new found endearment for toilet paper. The experts have told us all to stay home, separate ourselves from our regular sequence of daily living activities due to the now pandemic of COVID-19, in order to flatten the curve and dec ..read more

Asking for Help Isn’t Taboo Elizabeth A Bell, MS, LAT, ATC Macon Community Hospital  In a world where we are all constantly “connected” to each other, sometimes it can really feel like we are completely alone. Various settings in athletic training may leave some of us in a team of one, feeling like we have no support from others in our profession. It is important to know that if you are feeling secluded and unsupported, there are ways to reach out for a helping hand and to get mental support. Maybe you do not even recognize that you may be in need of talking to someone, you just know tha ..read more