Safety 2.3.1 (the “State Board Health and Safety Policy”). The State Board Health and Safety Policy provides:
1.
For purposes of this Policy, a concussion is defined as a traumatic brain injury caused by a direct or
indirect impact to the head that results in disruption of normal brain function, which may or may
not result in loss of consciousness.
2.
An administering organization shall, on an annual basis, provide a concussion and head injury
information sheet to all coaches, school nurses, athletic directors, first responders (SBE Policy
ATHL- 016), volunteers, and students who participate in interscholastic athletic activities, and the
parents or legal guardians of those students. The information shall include:
a.
The definitions and symptoms of concussions and head injuries;
b.
A description of the physiology and the potential short-term and long-term effects of
concussions and other head injuries;
c.
The medical return-to-play protocol for post-concussion participation in interscholastic
athletic activities; and
d.
Any other information deemed necessary by the PSU.
3.
School employees, first responders, volunteers, and students shall sign the information sheet and
return it to the coach before participating in interscholastic athletic activities, including tryouts,
practices, or competition. Parents shall sign the information sheet and return it to the coach before
a child may participate in any such interscholastic athletic activities. The signed sheets shall be
maintained in accordance with SBE Policy ATHL-005.
4.
If a coach, athletic director, school nurse, athletic trainer, or first responder (as defined SBE Policy
ATHL-016) determines that a student participating in an interscholastic athletic activity is exhib-
iting signs or symptoms consistent with concussion, the student shall be removed from the activity
at the time and shall not be allowed to return to play or practice that day. A student removed from
play for exhibiting signs or symptoms consistent with concussion shall not return to play or practice
on a subsequent day until the student is evaluated by and receives written clearance for such partic-
ipation from one of the following:
a.
A physician licensed under Chapter 90, Article 1 of the General Statutes with training in
concussion management;
b.
A neuropsychologist licensed under Chapter 90, Article 18A of the General Statutes with
training in concussion management and working in consultation with a physician licensed
under Chapter 90, Article 34 of the General Statutes;
c.
An athletic trainer licensed under Chapter 90, Article 34 of the General Statutes;
d.
A physician assistant, consistent with the limitations of G.S. 90-18.1; or
e.
A nurse practitioner, consistent with the limitations of G.S. 90-18.2.
5.
Each participating school shall develop a venue-specific emergency action plan to deal with serious
injuries and acute medical conditions in which the condition of the patient may deteriorate rapidly.
The plan must be:
a.
In writing;
b.
Reviewed by an athletic trainer licensed under Chapter 90, Article 34 of the General Stat-
utes;
c.
Approved by the principal of the school;
d.
Distributed to all appropriate personnel;
e.
Posted conspicuously for community and parental awareness at all athletic-sponsored ven-
ues; and
f.
Reviewed and rehearsed annually by all licensed athletic trainers, first responders, coaches,
school nurses, athletic directors, and volunteers for interscholastic athletic activities.
6.
Each participating school's emergency management plan shall include:
a.
A delineation of roles;
b.
Methods of communication;
c.
Available emergency equipment; and
d.
Access to and plan for emergency transport.
7.
Each school shall maintain complete and accurate records of its compliance with the requirements
of this Policy.
NCHSAA Application Note 2.3.1. The requirements set forth in ATHL-015 apply to all membership entities.
(a)
In 2011, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Awareness Act
(“Gfeller-Waller Act”) to protect the safety of student-athletes in North Carolina. The
Gfeller-Waller Act had three major areas of focus: concussion education, post-concussion protocol
implementation, and venue specific emergency action plan development and implementation. The
substance of the Gfeller-Waller Act, as revised by later legislation, is now codified at G.S. §§
115C-407.57 and 115C-407.58. These provisions are the basis for the State Board Health and Safety
44