NFHS Safety Regulations & Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under NFHS guidelines, who bears the PRIMARY legal responsibility for implementing a concussion management policy at the school level?
- The head athletic trainer
- The school or school district administration (Correct answer)
- The team physician
- The coach of each sport
Correct answer: The school or school district administration
The school or school district administration bears primary legal responsibility for establishing and enforcing a concussion management policy.
Question 2: A state law requires written parental consent before a student-athlete can participate after a concussion. If a parent verbally agrees but has not yet signed the form, the student-athlete should:
- Be allowed to return if the coach approves
- Remain removed from play until the signed form is on file (Correct answer)
- Be allowed limited non-contact participation
- Practice but not compete in games
Correct answer: Remain removed from play until the signed form is on file
Written consent is a legal requirement; verbal agreement does not satisfy the documentation standard and the athlete must remain out of play.
Question 3: Which document does the NFHS recommend schools use as a foundation for their local concussion policies?
- CDC Heads Up Fact Sheet
- NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion in Sports (Correct answer)
- NCAA Concussion Safety Protocol
- State High School Association Rulebook
Correct answer: NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion in Sports
The NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion in Sports is the foundational document schools are advised to adopt and adapt.
Question 4: An athletic trainer notices a coach allowed a concussed athlete to re-enter a game without medical clearance. The FIRST step the athletic trainer should take is:
- File a formal grievance with the state association
- Immediately remove the athlete from play and document the incident (Correct answer)
- Warn the coach privately after the game
- Contact the athlete's parents during the game
Correct answer: Immediately remove the athlete from play and document the incident
Athlete safety comes first; the athletic trainer must immediately remove the athlete and document what occurred for compliance records.
Question 5: Most state concussion laws include an educational component requiring concussion training for which group BEYOND coaches?
- School custodians and maintenance staff
- Student-athletes and their parents/guardians (Correct answer)
- School board members
- Bus drivers and transportation staff
Correct answer: Student-athletes and their parents/guardians
The majority of state concussion statutes mandate that student-athletes and their parents/guardians also receive concussion education, not just coaches.
Question 6: A school's concussion policy states athletes must be evaluated by a 'licensed healthcare professional.' Which of the following does NOT typically qualify under NFHS guidance?
- Team physician
- Certified athletic trainer
- Emergency medical technician (EMT) (Correct answer)
- Neuropsychologist
Correct answer: Emergency medical technician (EMT)
EMTs are trained for emergency response but are not listed among the licensed healthcare professionals authorized to provide concussion clearance under NFHS guidance.
Question 7: How long must documentation of a concussion incident and return-to-play progression typically be retained under school compliance best practices?
- 30 days after the incident
- Until the end of the athletic season
- For the duration of the student's enrollment
- At least until the student graduates or leaves the school (Correct answer)
Correct answer: At least until the student graduates or leaves the school
Best practices and many state laws require concussion records to be kept at least until the student leaves the school to ensure continuity of care and legal protection.
NFHS Safety Regulations & Compliance 2
Under NFHS guidelines, who bears the PRIMARY legal responsibility for implementing a concussion management policy at the school level?