Athletics: Sports Medicine – Medical Management

Purpose

The field of Athletics Training deals with many different ailments that their athlete’s may contract. The use of medications may help them cope with these ailments. This program is to demonstrate proper management of medications that are utilized in St. Mary’s Athletics Training Room.

Dispersal

Student-athletes are to ask for medication from a licensed-athletics trainer only and must fill out the medication log found in the Athletics Training Room. Student-athletics trainers may assist in having the student-athlete complete this process. At no time may a student-athletics trainer disperse any forms of medication to student-athletes. They may hold onto medication that has already been dispensed to the student-athlete (i.e. asthma inhaler). Staff-athletics trainers will also be required to monitor the uses of medication for their teams. When refilling their medical kit, staff must also fill out the medication log found in the Athletic Training Room.

Over-the-counter Medication: Only single doses of an over-the-counter (OTC) may be given out at one time. The student-athletes should be advised to purchase their own medications and not to rely on the athletic training staff to supply all of their cold, flu, and headache needs. The staff will make sure the proper OTC medications are used and not abused by the athletes. The licensed-athletics trainer must also advise the student-athlete to use the OTC as directed. These directions may be found on the label of the OTC. In the event that a team is traveling without a licensed-athletics trainer, their kit may not be supplied with any medications. That team must travel with their own OTC medications. St. Mary’s Athletics Training staff will only house certain OTC medications.

The OTC medications available to the student-athletes are:

• Addaprin: ibuprofen
• Mediproxin: naproxen
• APAP: non-aspirin, acetaminophen
• Medi-Phenyl: pseudoephedrine free, phenylephrine HCI
• Diphen: diphenhydramine HCI
• Diamode: loperamide hydrochloride
• Diotame: bismuth subsalicylate 
• Medilyte: calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, and magnesium carbonate
• Sinus Pain & Pressure: acetaminophen, phenylephrine HCI
• Cold & Cough: acetaminophen, phenylephrine HCI, and dextromethorphan HBr
• Medi-Meclizine: meclizine HCI

Prescription Medications: St. Mary’s Athletic Training staff will not house any form of prescribed medication for their student-athletes; with the exception of prescribed asthma inhalers. Prescribed medication must be held on the student-athlete at all times, not in an athletics training kit. St. Mary’s Athletics Training staff will keep records of prescribed medications in each athlete’s file.

All prescribed medication must be brought to the Head Athletics Trainer to be determined cleared to take as seen fit by the NCAA drug testing compliance.

Disposal

Proper disposal of all medications is required by OSHA guidelines. St. Mary’s will purchase disposal containers from Stericycle® to dispose outdated, expired, or unusable medications. At no time should any medications be disposed of through normal waste containers or flushed down sink drains or toilets.