The state tournament is almost here and we've gpt everything lined up and ready, except a doctor to do skin checks at the weigh-ins. I'm working hard to find a volunteer doctor in Topeka, but if you are a doctor or know of a doctor that is coming to the state tournament, I'd appreciate it if you would donate a few hours for skin checks. The more volunteer doctors, the better.

Please contact me at jgibson@usd345.com or on my cell (785) 969-8936 if you know of anyone that would be of assistance.

Jeremy Gibson
State tournament committee member

Does it have to be a MD or can any health care provider provide the service? I am a Certified Family Nurse Pracitioner. I will be at the tournament Friday evening and Saturday & Sunday.
Annette VanAnne
620-431-9411
sekcoach@yahoo.com

MD is not a requirement so you are okay. I sent you an e-mail. Please call tonight and I'll explain the procedure in detail.

coach Gibson

Coach G---

Not to raise a fuss or anything, because I think it's great a nurse is going to volunteer their time, but...You could have a potential problem if the nurse says someone has a skin problem and shouldn't wrestle, when the ultimate and final authority is a doctor...Because, aren't you supposed to have a physician sign off when you can come back??? A nurse can't sign off for you to return, correct???

Not to open a can of worms, but just looking at things another way...

Just offering to help if I can. As an Advanced Practice Nurse I do pre-participation physicals for the KSHSAA. So if I can be of service to USA Wrestling I am willing to volunteer my time.

Actually a doctor is not needed. We would prefer someone in the medical field, but is not necessary.

The way the skin check will be handled is as follows. Wrestler enters check area. If he has a form filled out correctly for a suspicious area, he wrestles. We are not to override a skin form.

If an area is suspicious and does not have a form (like a kid gets poison Ivy or has a rash), we will not be able to make an interpretation if it is contageous or not. Only a dr. can make that distinction and if I'm in the room or anyone with my qualifications for determining skin disease (i.e. no qualifications), I immediately send them out of the weigh in area to go to a hospital or med assist to have it checked. With a Dr. in the room, he can make those distinctions. Since I can't, I treat it as contageous.

The purpose of the skin check area is to give the kids a one time check, rather than having the officials on the mat checking a kid, possibly three or four times during the tournamnet. The officials know that the wrestler has passed the check. It's not opening a can of worms because I think all of us understand at this point in the season, if something looks suspicious, we get a dr.'s note. The premise is that we don't know what the rash is and since we are not doctors, you will have to have a skin check form verifying that it is not contageous. That's much different than me saying, I don't think it's contageous and the next day 20 kids end up with ringworm or something.

However, thanks for the heads up. I didn't specify in the initial post and I'm sure there are some people out there that are beginning to get worried. Nothing to worry about. You have the paperwork and there's no problem.

Coach Gibson

Coach Gibby,

This is Coach Ed's Wife. I am a Physician Assistant and I have volunteered for this job before and I was always turned down. Either because I was a PA or because I was a woman, both reasons have been stated. If things are different now, I am very much willing to volunteer my services and I will be available for both weekends, state and nationals. By the way, PA's and NP's do sign the skin forms and we make these types of calls everyday in our jobs.

Thanks, if you need me just let me know.

Jennifer Edison, PA-C

Just find me. I'll be the one with the deer in headlights look on his face.

gibby