Cheerleader gets hurt.

JRutledge · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 01:52am

This was an interesting situation that made me think what others might do.

I had one of those double dip games, the JV then the Varsity game. One of the Cheerleaders during the JV game was doing a move and fell to the floor. Actually, she was thrown in the air by her fellow cheerleaders and they did not catch her in the basket apparantly. They tried to get her up but she was struggling. Now she eventually had to be stablized on the court and we could not continue until this young lady was helped off the court by an ambulance.

Now as an official, what responsiblity do we have when it comes to the health of this young girl or a cheerleader? Now the girl did not get hurt directly as a result of the game, but we had to hold up the game anyway. What responsiblity if any do we have to make sure her needs are taken care of? Are there any rules or interpretations that cover this kind of injury of a non-player? I know in football it is required that we "observe" the actions of the medical professionals in order to determine if the proper things are done to insure the health of an injured player. I believe we are suppose to do the same thing as it relates to basketball (at least by practice). So do we have the same responsiblity with a cheerleader? Does states have rules or practices that cover this?

Peace

mick · #2 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 06:27am

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
I know in football it is required that we "observe" the actions of the medical professionals in order to determine if the proper things are done to insure the health of an injured player. I believe we are suppose to do the same thing as it relates to basketball (at least by practice). So do we have the same responsiblity with a cheerleader? Does states have rules or practices that cover this?

Peace

Rut,
I don't think anyone is gonna benefit by my observing the professionals.
Sounds, to me, like Illinois wants to give the appearance of propriety.
mick

firedoc · #3 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 09:22am

I don't think an injury to a cheerleader is any different than an injury to a spectator in the stands. The home school has a responsibility to either care for any injury or call someone who can care for the patient (EMS). One could say that the officials have an ethical duty to help, if needed, even if that help is only instructing the home team management to call 911. Certainly as an official you should not get directly involved in the medical care of the patient unless you have some knowledge or training in that area (such as also being an EMT or Paramedic).

By the way, I am a physician specializing in Emergency Medicine and suggestions should NOT be construed as medical advice...this is the legal disclaimer :-)

zebraman · #4 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 02:08pm

"they did not catch her in the basket apparantly"

Sounds like she would have got hurt worse if they did catch her in the basket. She surely would have been scraped up by the rim, not to mention the 10' foot fall to the floor afterwards. :-)

Seriously though, we're responsible for the players and coaches ... a cheerleader (or bandmember or spectator etc.) should be handled by the gym administrator and/or medical help. Your states laws (good Samaritan etc.) would apply of course, but that has nothing to do with the fact that it happened at a basketball game.

Z

JRutledge · #5 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 02:09pm

Quote:

Originally posted by mick

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
I know in football it is required that we "observe" the actions of the medical professionals in order to determine if the proper things are done to insure the health of an injured player. I believe we are suppose to do the same thing as it relates to basketball (at least by practice). So do we have the same responsiblity with a cheerleader? Does states have rules or practices that cover this?

Peace

Rut,
I don't think anyone is gonna benefit by my observing the professionals.
Sounds, to me, like Illinois wants to give the appearance of propriety.
mick

According to the NF in Football, we are suppose to observe the medical technicians, to make sure that they are doing their jobs (not that I would know what that is). We are also to make sure that people that are not qualified are not intefering with the process. This came from the NF and their publication with Referee Magazine that they produce before every season in all the sports. Not an Illinois thing at all. But we were instructed to follow that philosophy. I was wondering if we had the same ideal in basketball. It probably just has not been an issue, mainly because basketball is not a sport where injuries happen several times a game that often.

Peace

JRutledge · #6 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 02:18pm

Quote:

Originally posted by firedoc
I don't think an injury to a cheerleader is any different than an injury to a spectator in the stands. The home school has a responsibility to either care for any injury or call someone who can care for the patient (EMS). One could say that the officials have an ethical duty to help, if needed, even if that help is only instructing the home team management to call 911. Certainly as an official you should not get directly involved in the medical care of the patient unless you have some knowledge or training in that area (such as also being an EMT or Paramedic).

By the way, I am a physician specializing in Emergency Medicine and suggestions should NOT be construed as medical advice...this is the legal disclaimer :-)

I am not talking about getting directly involved. I would never get directly involved, mainly because I do not have the training or background where I would be any help. That goes for most officials I know too. What I am wondering, what is our role as the officials on the game. Do we have to observe or make sure that the needs of this cheerleader that is on the floor is taken care of properly? What if someone is trying to help her that is not a medical technician and does something wrong? Can we be held liable, or should we be held liable for the actions of people that are not qualifed or even with the qualified personnel?

This girl was instucted not to move for about 15 minutes until the EMTs game. By happenstance, there was a doctor present at the game. As officials are we to make sure they do not move here until the ambulance comes? If they move her improperly and she had injury or assumed injury, could we be held liable as well as the folks that know what they are doing?

Peace

dhodges007 · #7 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 03:15pm

As an EMT-I on the court, where does my responsibility lie? Making sure she is stabilized before EMS arrives, or do I make sure that the floor/players are doing what they need to do.

Also, if there is a cheerleader/fan getting medical attention by EMS, can the players go into their locker room until the delay is over? What is the ruling on a situation like that?

mick · #8 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 04:25pm

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
What if someone is trying to help her that is not a medical technician and does something wrong?

..., But I did stay at the Holiday Inn last night.

Jurassic Referee · #9 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 05:30pm

Quote:

Originally posted by dhodges007
Also, if there is a cheerleader/fan getting medical attention by EMS, can the players go into their locker room until the delay is over? What is the ruling on a situation like that?

I don't think that this one is covered in the rules, Personally, I'd let 'em go into their locker rooms if they wanted to, and I knew that I was still looking at a fairly lengthy delay. I'd also let the teams have a short warm-up,if one of the coaches requested one after the lengthy delay was over.

dhodges007 · #10 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 08:53pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

Quote:

Originally posted by dhodges007
Also, if there is a cheerleader/fan getting medical attention by EMS, can the players go into their locker room until the delay is over? What is the ruling on a situation like that?

I don't think that this one is covered in the rules, Personally, I'd let 'em go into their locker rooms if they wanted to, and I knew that I was still looking at a fairly lengthy delay. I'd also let the teams have a short warm-up,if one of the coaches requested one after the lengthy delay was over.

That's what I was thinking too. Any rules in the book on these two questions?

twoblindrefs · #11 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 12, 2003, 10:23pm

Once you blow your whistle and beckon appropriate medical persons onto the court (or the cheerleading coach), GET FAR AWAY. You don't want to get invloved at all unless you have MD after your name and want to assume responsibility.

As with any injured athlete, the game does not resume until you have the person safely removed. Ever had to wait "for the ambulance"? You wait until it is safe to start again.

zebraman · #12 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 13, 2003, 03:07am

According to the NF in Football, we are suppose to observe the medical technicians, to make sure that they are doing their jobs (not that I would know what that is).

Are you serious? How would us "non-medical" people know if they are doing their jobs. Can you imagine how much we could get sued if we tried to intervene and prevent treatment because we thought someone was no qualified? Do you remember what issue that was in? I'd love to read that and show it a liability attorney.

We are also to make sure that people that are not qualified are not intefering with the process.

What do we do - act like bouncers and check ID's? If a guy says he's a doctor, do I frisk him for I.D.? :-)

Z

Mark Dexter · #13 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 13, 2003, 08:18am

Quote:

Originally posted by zebraman
Are you serious? How would us "non-medical" people know if they are doing their jobs. Can you imagine how much we could get sued if we tried to intervene and prevent treatment because we thought someone was no qualified? Do you remember what issue that was in? I'd love to read that and show it a liability attorney.

I'd be worried in the other direction.

Let's say (God forbid) something goes wrong and the kid dies, either regardless of or as a result of the medical care he recieved on the field - are the officials (who should have been observing the EMTs/Paramedics/MDs) now responsible?

Does NASO need to provide malpractice coverage with its other insurance?

It would be interesting to get a lawyer's opinion on this.

chayce · #14 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 13, 2003, 08:43am

I learned another valuable lesson relating to cheerleading this year: Make sure that they are out of the way before the game starts! To make a long story short, I ran over a cheerleading during a game while coming down the floor as lead. Subsequently, I made them move for the safety of everyone involved. A mother was so mad that I was interfering with their right to be in "their" spot, that she filed a criminal complaint with the police dept. after the game claiming that I had intentionally knocked down a cheerleader and threatened them with further bodily harm. It was, of course, disregarded but it sure caused me to think more about the insurance issue.

dhodges007 · #15 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 13, 2003, 08:46am

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Dexter

Quote:

Originally posted by zebraman
Are you serious? How would us "non-medical" people know if they are doing their jobs. Can you imagine how much we could get sued if we tried to intervene and prevent treatment because we thought someone was no qualified? Do you remember what issue that was in? I'd love to read that and show it a liability attorney.

I'd be worried in the other direction.

Let's say (God forbid) something goes wrong and the kid dies, either regardless of or as a result of the medical care he recieved on the field - are the officials (who should have been observing the EMTs/Paramedics/MDs) now responsible?

Does NASO need to provide malpractice coverage with its other insurance?

It would be interesting to get a lawyer's opinion on this.

I had a kid do this on my game this year. I had to perform CPR and other medical services until the EMS arrived. There wasn't any legal issues that I had to deal with. But that is a good question.