Our Mission
The mission of the NDATA is to improve the quality of healthcare in the State of North Dakota through the advancement, promotion, and improvement of the athletic training profession for practicing Athletic Trainers in all settings, and to be proactive in creating effective partnerships in our communities, as well as among those interested in athletic training as a career.
The North Dakota Athletic Trainers Association (NDATA) is a professional membership organization for licensed athletic trainers (ATC) and others who support the athletic training profession in the State of North Dakota.
North Dakota Athletic Training at a Glance
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan
About Athletic Trainers
What is an Athletic Trainer?
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association defines athletic trainers (ATs) as highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals specifically trained in the prevention, examination, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical conditions and emergent, acute and chronic injuries. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an allied health care profession.
Where Are Athletic Trainers Employed?
Athletic trainers provide health care in many settings, from clinics and hospitals to performing arts and even aeronautics.
What's the Value of Employing an Athletic Trainer?
The value of an athletic trainers may differ in the eyes of the principal, school board member, athletic director, teacher, coach, parent, employer, legislator and student-athlete. At Your Own Risk has created handouts explaining the value that athletic trainers bring to many different organizations.
Resources
You can find information about applying for your Athletic Training license in the State of North Dakota HERE
Sometimes called malpractice insurance, Professional Liability Insurance (PLI) is a policy that covers individuals who provide professional services such as licensed athletic trainers. The coverage offers protection from losses that may result from being held responsible for the losses of patients/clients. This could be a result of claims of malpractice, error, or mistake committed or alleged to have been committed by the AT in a professional capacity.
Professional liability insurance is one form of protection for professionals and for patients/clients. PLI shields personal assets and may help maintain a good reputation by defense of allegations of wrongdoing which might be frivolous or false. For the patient/client who has damages through the actions of a professional, liability insurance provides funds available to make amends for the wrong that has been done. Often times when the professional is an employee of an organization, the employer is responsible for the actions of the employee. However, a court of law may find a professional personally responsible for an incident.
The North Dakota does not mandate that ATs obtain PLI. However, certain employers may require that individual ATs maintain PLI. Additionally, it is strongly recommended to carry PLI when working as an independently contracted AT. It is best to consult the employer or legal advisor on these issues.
The National Provider Identifier, or NPI, is a number that Athletic Trainers are encouraged to register for, so that they may be counted among the numbers of healthcare professionals. It increases the credibility of the individual and of the Athletic Training profession. Part of the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the NPI is required for all “covered” healthcare professionals when working with HIPAA electronic transactions. The NPI number is a standard, 10 digit identifier that contains no embedded information about the healthcare provider to which it belongs.
Athletic trainers in North Dakota are not required to have an NPI number to practice, although it is highly encouraged. The process to obtain one is simple, takes little time, and is free. Please visit the NATA website (NATA.org) for more information, and for specific instructions on how to register for an NPI number.
Why do I need an athletic trainer?
- Having a certified, licensed athletic trainer on staff reduces liability that your athletic program assumes when you provide interscholastic sports. You have the protection of a medical professional, trained to make decisions and act in the best interest of student-athlete safety.
- Athletic trainers are experts in concussion recovery, and can ensure that athletes return from a concussion in the safest manner.
What can having an athletic trainer do for my institution?
- Families in schools that have an athletic trainer have reduced medical costs, due to the early intervention and assessment that an athletic trainer provides on-site. Parents and children spend less time going to the doctor or emergency room for sports injuries.
- Providing athletic training services at a school reduces lost instruction time and absenteeism in student-athletes. Decrease in absenteeism can also result in retention of state funding for public schools.
- With the expertise and education an athletic trainer has, they can develop policies on safety. Emergency Action plans, lightning plans, severe weather management, and heat policies are just a few of the items a school should have assistance from an athletic trainer to develop. These plans can reduce liability and help prevent catastrophic loss.
- Athletic trainers in school settings allow a district to offer additional curriculum options for their school. Depending upon curriculum standards and credentialing requirements, courses such as Athletic Training/Sports Medicine, First Aid, CPR, and Anatomy & Physiology can be taught by the certified athletic trainer/educator. Taking these courses in high school gives students a significant advantage when applying to athletic training programs in college, greatly improving the student’s chance of securing a spot in the program.
Where can I find an athletic trainer to hire?
- There are several ways that North Dakota high schools successfully employ athletic trainers. You may hire an athletic trainer as an in-house district employee, as a contracted employee through a local sports medicine clinic or hospital, as a part-time employee, or on an “as needed” basis.
- To determine which hiring model works best for you, first determine your needs for an athletic trainer. Do you want full-time supervision of athletic healthcare, or will you start with just home event healthcare?
- If you are looking to partner with a healthcare organization, begin that conversation early. Ideally, you could reach out to the organization in December or January to discuss healthcare for the following school year.
- If you are looking to hire an athletic trainer directly, you’ll need to determine what space and resources you have available for this new employee.
- When developing this position, use the NATA’s Salary Survey as a guide for compensation. Salaries are broken down by setting, years of experience, region, state, level of education, etc.
- Post your job opportunity in the NATA Career Center, to reach more than 45,000 athletic trainers across the country.