Designing A School-Based Sports Injury Management Module For Teachers: A Collaborative Approach With Allied Health Professionals

Introduction: Injury care as it relates to sports activities at school is crucial to a student's all-rounded development, however, due to the lack of teacher training, is often not handled appropriately. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and assess a context-based training module on sports injury management for school teachers, with input from allied health practitioners. Methodology: The study took a mixed approach and quasi-experimental in nature. Two-day workshops were done for 25 teachers from five secondary schools which were developed alongside physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Data collection was done through pre and post intervention tests, guided observational checklists during simulations, and focus group discussions after training. Quantitative data was analyzed with paired t-tests and qualitative data was done through thematic analysis. Results: Following the training sessions, knowledge assessment scores improved from an average of 10.6 to 17.2 (p < 0.001). Simulated scenario observation checklist ratings during the simulations showed powerful achievement in injury identification (mean = 4.3/5) and referral (4.2/5) determination. Teacher evaluations of the module showed high marks for practicality (mean = 4.6/5) and applicability to their teaching duties. Qualitative data showed appreciation for the hands-on training coupled with increased confidence and a demand for recurring workshops. Discussion: The data supports the hypothesis that interprofessional education with allied health practitioners helps address the inadequate school based exercise injury management policies. The enhanced understanding and acquisition of skills among school teachers justify the inclusion of injury management training into professional development exercises that require formalized training for schools. Conclusion: The co-developed programs for sports injury care aimed at teachers and crafted jointly with healthcare providers improves readiness for injury incidences within schools, and thus school safety. The program can be adopted in other regions and can be used to guide policies related to school health and safety at the national level.