Student nurses from Western New Mexico University stepped out of the traditional hospital ward and onto the front lines of community sports medicine at the annual Tour of the Gila cycling race in late April/early May. These future healthcare professionals provided critical on-site care under the fast-paced, high-intensity conditions of the outdoor event. They sharpened their clinical decision-making skills and demonstrated the vital role that community health nursing plays in large-scale regional events.
Stationed at the finish line鈥檚 primary First Aid tent, the student nursing team collaborated closely with regional event staff, race officials, and local emergency medical services (EMS). The partnership was anchored by athletic trainer Mike McMillan, who coordinated the operational layout and supplied crucial logistical resources. The tent served as an immediate medical triage point, equipped with shaded recovery areas, client seating, and an array of specialized supplies, including wound care kits and orthopedic slings, as well as rapid-acting ice packs and over-the-counter analgesics.
Throughout the day, students managed a steady influx of athletes presenting with injuries typical of a high-velocity cycling race. The most common ailments required immediate attention for road rash, extensive scrapes, and acute lacerations requiring precise wound care. Additionally, students assessed numerous extremity injuries, treating bruised and sprained fingers, hands, knees, and elbows resulting from racecourse wrecks.
“The fast-paced environment of an outdoor athletic event is a great way to challenge our students and give them experience in a new care setting,” said Ariana Garcia, an Associate Professor of Nursing. Their typical clinical experiences are in traditional health care settings. This is a fantastic way to help reinforce those rapid, focused assessments and help teach them to think on their feet, in order to prioritize what patient care they think should be completed first based on the chief complaint.”
Operating outside a controlled clinical environment forced the nursing team to pivot their standard diagnostic protocols. Lacking the heavy diagnostic imaging and laboratory resources of a full-scale hospital, the team relied heavily on rapid, focused assessments determined by each athlete’s immediate chief complaint. For injuries involving suspected fractured extremities or severe head trauma, the team maintained a strict protocol to stabilize patients on-site before executing seamless handoffs to local EMS for emergency room transport and advanced imaging.
Neurological assessments became paramount when cyclists displayed potential concussion symptoms following a crash. Students conducted immediate evaluations of consciousness, mental orientation, and pupil responsiveness, while monitoring for secondary indicators such as persistent headaches, nausea, or vomiting.
Environmental and physical factors also demanded continuous vigilance. As exhausted riders crossed the finish line, the nursing team performed rapid assessments to differentiate between extreme physical exertion, severe heat exhaustion, and life-threatening heat stroke. Interventions included monitoring core temperatures, applying localized cooling rags, administering oral fluids and electrolytes when tolerated, and utilizing emergency temperature-control blankets.
Ultimately, the immersive experience allowed the student nurses to fulfill an essential public safety function while deeply embedding themselves in the fabric of Southwest New Mexico鈥檚 community health network.