Abstract

Athletic coaches, because of their link with sports and fitness, are often associated with first aid and emergency care. In an attempt to discover how well prepared athletic coaches are to administer resuscitation skills, 1,773 high school athletic coaches were surveyed with regard to cardiac and respiratory emergency procedures. Over half of all coaches surveyed were found to be proficient in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich maneuver. When these lifesaving skills were used by coaches in emergencies, they were more often used outside of athletics than during a practice session or game. The subjects felt that knowledge of CPR and the Heimlich maneuver was important to their job and also saw a need for continuing education in respiratory and cardiac resuscitation skills. However, they were not as supportive when it came to their own participation in this continuing education. The importance of cardiac and respiratory emergency procedures should be emphasized for athletic coaches and other school personnel. Verf.-Referat