Southeastern Louisiana University

Student presents clinical case study at national symposium

Contact: Tonya Lowentritt

2/7/08

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Caption ...
Nicole Finch, center, discusses her case study with Southeastern defensive end, Walter Vaughn, left, and Karen Lew, athletic training education program director.

     Finch, an athletic training major from Franklinton, will present her case study “Upper Extremity Injury in a Collegiate Football Player” at the symposium in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 8-9.

     Ray Castle, co-chair of the symposium, said Finch’s study, “exemplifies her efforts to expand the knowledge base in the profession of athletic training, as well as the quality of the athletic training education program in which she is currently enrolled.”

     Finch’s case study stemmed from her work as a senior athletic training student with Southeastern’s football team this fall.  During a game with Kansas, defensive end Walter Vaughn suffered a broken arm. 

     Finch attended the athlete’s surgery and rehabilitation sessions.  “He had some very unique problems post-op that will require him to have another surgery,” Finch said. “Since he has had these complications, it has made for a unique case study.”

     A junior from Griffin, Ga., Vaughn broke his upper arm in the second game of the season.  Vaughn said that being the focus of Finch’s case study is bittersweet.

     “The injury knocked me out for the rest of the season,” he said. “But Nicole helped me with rehab and helped to further explain what was wrong with me.  I expect to be ready and have a great season this fall.”

     Karen Lew, athletic training education program director at Southeastern, worked with Finch on her case study.

     “Nicole was always a good student, but this has propelled her to be excellent,” Lew said. “It’s proved to her that she can do more than tape ankles.  She can do research.”

     Finch is excited to be attending the symposium a second time.

     “It is a great opportunity because athletic training students and program staff from all over the country are there,” Finch said. “This is most important to me because the program director of the graduate school that I want to attend after Southeastern is going to be there, and he will have the opportunity to see some of my work.”

     Finch, who graduates from Southeastern in May, ultimately wants to work as a head athletic trainer or assistant athletic trainer at a major football program.

     Following her presentation in Atlanta, she plans to submit her case study to the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association meeting and to the National Athletic Trainers Association Journal of Athletic Training