Ohio’s law that spells out what athletic trainers can and cannot do hasn’t been updated for 30 years. But a new bill that does just that is close to becoming law.
Most of the more than 2,300 state-licensed athletic trainers have master’s degrees and have undergone training to immediately respond to life-threatening situations. Yet Republican Rep. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township) says they haven’t been allowed to administer basic life-saving treatments when seconds count.
“Despite having the training to successfully administer an IV, a trainer must wait for an EMT to arrive, potentially to the detriment of a patient. And despite having the necessary pharmacological training to provide over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, the current practice act prohibits this," Carfagna said.
The bill overwhelmingly passed the House and Senate. It’s now heading to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature.
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