§ 16-91.1-3. School districts’ guidelines to be developed and implemented.
(a) The department of education and the department of health shall promulgate guidelines to inform and educate coaches, teachers, school nurses, youth athletes, and their parents and/or guardians about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, including the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing the following symptoms: fainting or seizures during exercise, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, racing heart rate and extreme fatigue.
(b) School districts may use training materials made available at no cost to the school district by organizations such as Simon’s Fund, Parent Heart Watch, Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes Foundation, or training materials substantively and substantially similar thereto. The department of education shall post links to training materials on its website. All coaches and volunteers involved in a youth sport program or activity covered by this chapter must complete a training course that may be completed online about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest, including the risks associated with continuing to play or practice after experiencing symptoms including: fainting or seizures during exercise, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, racing heart rate and extreme fatigue. Training may consist of videos, classes, and any other generally accepted mode and medium of providing information.
(c) Parents and/or guardians shall be provided with information as to the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest prior to the start of every sport season.
(d)(1) A student who, as determined by a game official, coach from the student’s team, certified athletic trainer, licensed physician, or other official designated by the student’s school entity, exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an athletic activity shall be removed by the coach from participation at that time, subject to subsection (d)(3) of this section.
(2) If a student is known to have exhibited signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest at any time prior to or following an athletic activity, the student shall be prevented from participating in an athletic activity, subject to subsection (d)(3) of this section.
(3) A student removed or prevented from participating in an athletic activity under subsections (d)(1) or (d)(2) of this section shall not return to participation until the student is evaluated and cleared for return to participation in writing by a licensed physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, or cardiologist.
(e) All school districts are encouraged to have an athletic trainer, or similarly trained person, at all recreational and athletic events addressed by this statute.
History of Section.
P.L. 2017, ch. 338, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 355, § 1.