Newly Credentialed Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of Their Transition to Practice

Challenges Faced During Professional Preparation and Transition to Practice Among Diverse Early Professional Athletic Trainers

CONTEXT

Early professional (EP) athletic trainers (ATs) may encounter adjustments and develop individual identities to master a new role, which can be difficult while transitioning from student to autonomous professional. Previous literature lacks content about the transition to practice of credentialed ATs who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC).

OBJECTIVE

To identify challenges during the professional education and transition to practice of EP ATs identifying as BIPOC.

DESIGN

Qualitative study.

SETTING

Virtual interviews.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen recently credentialed ATs (13 women, 2 men; age = 26.73 ± 1.41 years, experience = 13.80 ± 4.03 months) who self-identified as BIPOC.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used an interview guide, validated by peer (n = 1) and expert (n = 3) review, to structure the data collection sessions. Data saturation guided recruitment, and we achieved theoretical redundancy after the final interview. We analyzed the data with a phenomenological approach and used multianalyst triangulation (n = 2) and peer review (n = 2) as credibility strategies.

RESULTS

All participants mentioned being victims of microaggressions because of their race during either their professional preparation, work environment, or both. Those who chose to report the incidents felt a lack of support from work supervisors, faculty, peers, and preceptors. Participants noted a preference for racially concordant mentoring to facilitate talking to a person who could better understand BIPOC EPs' experiences. Respondents also relied on outside support from friends and family as coping mechanisms. Finally, participants experienced perceived incompetency from supervisors due to their limited work experience as EPs and felt their professional preparation was stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants perceived that their transition to practice was stressful due to the microaggressions encountered, a lack of support, and a lack of racially concordant mentoring. Diversity, equity, and inclusion training should be incorporated into athletic training education and workspaces to assist in providing more welcoming environments for BIPOC EP ATs and students.

Multistakeholder Perceptions of Young Professionals' Integration During Role Transition

CONTEXT

The transition to autonomous clinical practice for early professionals (EPs) has been found to be a stressful time, but no studies with multiple stakeholder groups have been completed.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the perceptions of EPs' integration during role transition from multiple stakeholder groups.

DESIGN

Qualitative study.

SETTING

Online interviews.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Seventeen EPs in the first 2 years of their first job postcertification (9 women, 8 men, age = 26 ± 5 years, experience = 9.5 ± 5 months), 16 supervisors and mentors of EPs (6 women, 10 men, age = 52 ± 11 years), and 10 faculty members and 8 preceptors (11 women, 7 men, age = 43 ± 10 years).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Semistructured interviews using a validated interview guide based on the current literature were conducted. We analyzed data using consensual qualitative research principles. Multiple-analyst triangulation (n = 3), member checking, and peer review served as trustworthiness strategies.

RESULTS

We identified 4 themes that defined the integration of EPs during role transition. The integration of EPs was facilitated through role inductance and mentoring. Early professionals struggle finding balance to avoid burnout as they are new to the profession and feel obligated to exceed expectations from a coverage standpoint rather than focusing on the quality of care delivered. Finally, stakeholders suggested a timeline by which EPs become fully integrated into autonomous professional practice and understand all aspects of their role that typically takes anywhere from 1 to 3 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Early professionals benefited from appropriate graded autonomy during clinical education to develop their clinical reasoning skills, confidence, and mentoring network with past preceptors. Ongoing personal and professional support are needed during the initial few years to ease EPs' role inductance while they gain more experience and establish their clinician identity. Expectations for EPs should be reasonable to allow for the provision of quality care, adequate work-life balance, and integration into the profession without guilt.

Psychological Ownership in Athletic Training

CONTEXT

Psychological ownership (PO) is a state in which an individual feels possession over an object, organization, or entity (eg, PO over the organization where one works, PO over the profession one serves). Understanding PO could provide insight into the "vitality of the profession" as defined in the Prioritized Research Agenda for the Athletic Training Profession.

OBJECTIVE

To explore athletic trainers' (ATs') PO over their employing organizations and the athletic training profession.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Web-based survey.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Clinically practicing ATs who were active members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Demographic variables, Psychological Ownership Questionnaire (POQ) scores, and Psychological Ownership Questionnaire for athletic training (POQ-AT) scores were the primary outcomes measured. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the demographic variables, POQ and POQ-AT overall scores, form scores, and dimension scores. Nonparametric tests were used to investigate differences between the POQ and POQ-AT by demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

The ATs indicated greater PO over the athletic training profession (Z = -3.45, P = .001) than over their employing organizations. They displayed greater belongingness (Z = -9.51, P < .001) and self-identity (Z = -8.71, P < .001) and less territoriality (Z = -5.52, P < .001) and accountability (Z = -5.33, P < .001) over their profession than their organization. Those ATs who supervised others had higher overall POQ (Mann-Whitney U test = 34 372, P < .001) and overall POQ-AT (U = 36 624, P = .014) scores than ATs who did not supervise others. A difference was evident in overall POQ (Kruskal-Wallis statistical analysis H4 = 20.47, P < .001) and overall POQ-AT (H4 = 21.34, P < .001) scores by years of experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents indicated greater PO over their profession than their employing organizations. They demonstrated greater self-identity and belongingness and less territoriality and accountability over the athletic training profession than over their employing organization, suggesting that they were connecting aspirations and accomplishments with the profession but connecting duty and responsibility with their organizations. Years of experience and supervisor status may play roles in the level of organizational PO.