7 Best Practices For Working PRN Shifts

We surveyed, interviewed and talked with hundreds of job posters on the platform about game day operations with the ATs they hired through Go4. Based on some common themes and feedback, we developed this list of 7 Best Practices For Working PRN Shifts.

  1. Arrive with time for a quick medical timeout.
    1. Whether it’s a large tournament, a club practice or a shift at the donut factory, give yourself 10 minutes to track down the on-site contact and have a mini-medical timeout. Ensure you know every entrance, exit and where the AEDs are located.
  2. Document to CYA
    1. Use the HIPPA-compliant sideline EMR for every PRN job. This gives a timestamp of your work, as well as protects you in the off-chance there is litigation surrounding the event.
  3. Talk with parents of injured players
    1. If you’re working a youth event, make sure you’re communicating with parents AND the patient. Parents will understandably be scared, and even angry. Keep calm, and follow these guidelines.
  4. Download and share EMRs with the parents and patients
    1. You can download your injury documentation records to send to patients and/or parents. That way, they’ve got your evaluation for the next clinician in line.
  1. Confirm your location at the location
    1. As part of the morning check-in (and don’t forget to check-in on the app too!), make sure you’ve got a walkie-talkie (depending on the size of the event), and an agreed upon central location so that all staff knows where to send patients. 
  1. Check the scene – is the scene safe?
    1. You’ve got an eye for EAPs and safety hazards. Do a quick walkthrough of the venue and alert the on-site contract of any risk areas e.g., walking paths behind goals, sharp fences on endlines, or tents setup too close to the playing area.
  1. Post mortem with the event operator
    1. When the shift ends, have a brief chat with the on-site contact. Alert them to any incidents that they may receive follow up on, or provide feedback on ways to improve the Safety at their events.