Sunday, November 01, 2009

Tricks

I don't think I am alone among medics in that I have a small "dirty tricks" bag that I bring to work. I don't mean "dirty tricks" in the sense of pressure points or joint locks -- though those have their place -- but instead little items that are not standard issue which we have found to be useful.

I recently went through and organized my little black bag, and when I was done, here's what I had:

- O2 wrench
- Small zipties
- Needle-nose pliers
- A Code Strap
- InforMed Emergency & Critical Care Pocket Guide
- Tarascon Adult Emergency Pocketbook
- County Protocol Pocket Guide
- RSI Dosage card
- Booties
- Extra-large Tegaderm
- One each adult and pediatric single-use adhesive SpO2 sensors
- King Airway syringe
- A Zerowet Supershield

So, readers, I ask you -- what do YOU bring to work that isn't standard issue, but you've found to be useful, or want to have in case of that particular unusual situation coming up?

7 comments:

Doc1490 said...

I always, always, always carry the following with me....

1) Black felt tip sharpie

2) Leatherman multi-tool (one with pliers, blade, flat head and phillips head screwdriver)

3) Laminated cards with pertinent 12 Lead EKG info (i.e. locations for reciprocal changes, diagnostic criteria for V-Tach, etc.)

4) Heavy duty leather patrol gloves- cut and blood borne pathogen resistant (for lifting in bad weather/adverse conditions and frisking pockets of combative patients)

5) Handful of saline locks, alligator clips (for non-needleless IV tubing), and alcohol swabs

Drew Rinella said...

- a calculator watch

- safety glasses with LED's in them!!

- a google capable cell phone

RevMedic said...

$5 Walmart electric razor (for 12-Leads); calculator; ring cutter; o2 wrench; CCEMTP Field Guide; Spit hood; AA & AAA batteries; EtCO2 cannula; Sharpie; Antacids; Reading glasses (old eyes & small vials/expiration dates); Mastisol/Tincture of Benzoin (for sweaty patients); Mouthwash/gum (3 am calls = bad breath); personal meds (Tylenol/Benadryl/Sudafed).

Unknown said...

A bottle of Jameson.

--maddog said...

iPhone (Car photos convince ED physicians more than anything of trauma), Picture-based pain scale card with Arabic (most of my patients don't speak much English) and a meconium aspirator. It's a great trick to be able to suction out vomitus and blood on your way to finding the chords.

I'll be adding the rescue gloves as soon as they're shipped. My service issues us the rest (including high ballistic body armor).

-maddog

Unknown said...

Gum. Debit Card (for those long transfers, my station does lots of driving and flying!). Small flashlight. I haven't found anything else yet to toss into my pants pockets (only 8 months in you see).

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