An Editorial on an Editorial?

from Tiffany McGuffin...

In this month’s NATA News, there is an editorial that is once again discussing salary and one woman’s opinion on how to increase the athletic trainers’ overall worth (“Athletic Training Salaries and the Sate of Employment,” page 8).  I think her solution to the problem is spot-on, not only for the promotion of the profession’s salary cap, but for the promotion of the profession itself.  She addresses the need for athletic trainers at the collegiate level to be a part of the health centers, instead of the athletic departments.  Her model at the University of Boston has increased salaries by what I assume is due to being competitive with the other health professionals in the building.  When an athletic trainer is being compared, quite literally, side by side with other therapists and physician assistants, I can only assume that an athletic trainer’s specific skill set is highlighted and valued. When an athletic trainer is well-versed in the medical field and can converse daily with other medical professionals, it forces others to view athletic trainers as equals.  Then we can demand equal pay.

But the problem is, I don’t think most athletic trainers partake in this type of dialogue with other medical professionals that would help prove our educational background and true worth.  I see it often, athletic trainers, especially at the high school level, becomes subservient to orthopedics and therapists, allowing the conversation regarding a joint patient to be one-sided.  As we strive to increase our salaries, I think these conversations need to increase with our colleagues from other disciplines.  We still need to prove ourselves and continue to work on maintaining our health care image. As Adam (the District 2 YPC Rep) says on the next page, “our efforts are working, we just need a little more time.”

Although more ideal at the collegiate level, I believe this could work in high schools as well.  Our district has a head of nursing and separate in-services with the nursing staffs.  Might partnering with the school nurses serve a similar purpose?  I certainly think we can bring something to the table when discussing district health concerns. There is also a district safety manager and that a partnership might make more sense than our association with the general athletic department. Aligning ourselves with the other medical staffs in the district would help define the profession with others and build the reputation we are seeking.  When we achieve this recognition, our pay scale must follow suit.

I type this in the car, southbound 35, making the trek from Dallas to Corpus Christi, riding shotgun with a dog in my lap.  Justin is driving, also with a dog in his lap, and we have a happy, sleeping 7 week old in the back seat.  Pit stops are quite the circus! I hope all of you have a great Christmas and joyous holiday season.  See you all in 2011.

Just one of those days...

Have you ever had one of THOSE days? I had one of those weekends... Lost a game, a few too many injuries for my liking (or my coaches), long days of travel and uncomfortable hotel beds, tried to hang Christmas lights which were burnt out, and started a fireplace fire that filled our house with smoke. I woke up this morning dreading the day, the paperwork, staff meetings, coaches' meetings, rehabs and all of the other joys a Monday brings. Then one of my athletes came in to see our team physician. I asked if it was ok for me to come in with her and she simply said "of course you're coming with me, you're always there for me". That simple statement changed my day and reminded me of why we do this crazy job and the heart of what are days are meant to be.
So many days we dwell on the negatives, the to-do lists and the why me's. We sit around feeling sorry for ourselves and throw our own pity party just to help us through the day. I wondered this morning if there was ever a day when my negativity brought someone else down, or if a smile through my frown would have made a difference. Has our world brought us down with terrible news stories and the every day complaining or "venting" session that we can't see the sunshine through the clouds or the rainbow through the rain?
My athlete unknowingly reminded me today that we are all so blessed with jobs that pay the bills, schools that support athletics and a profession that fights for each of us daily. I am not always a Mary Sunshine, but I do know that on the days when I fight the urge to be a Debbie Downer and allow myself to smile at someone, hold a door for a slow walker or let that pesky car in front of me, I tend to have a better outlook on everything I do. I may even, dare I say it, be better at my job. I may take better care of my athletes physically, mentally and emotionally because I'm not weighed down by my own sorrows. I may spend an extra minute hearing about their day or not rush through a treatment because I'm tired. I may be the person they need to lift them up or push them along. I may be the athletic trainer they need me to be.
Yes, it's late tonight, I'm still at work and I have Christmas lights to hang, smoke smell to clear out and a pile of paperwork that will have to wait until tomorrow, but I also have so many great things in my life that overshadow those tidbits of frustration. Maybe tomorrow will be "one of those days", but maybe, just maybe, I can decide that it means it will be a good day and those around me will thank me for it.
Happy sunshine, rainbows and wins to all :)