How to have gloves on you at all times

[paramedichopeful]

The biggest problem I face is that it takes me a long time to get scrubbed up and gloved up when I need to look at someone's results of battling gravity (I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews, none of which can go 5 minutes without falling). So, I decided to fix the problem at any rate. The solution I devised is simple and effective.

You see, I have always worn a belt with a multi-tool, a flashlight, and a canteen ever since I was a kid. My dad is a mechanic and also does construction work, so you need things available at short reach when you're 50 feet up on a ladder. I used the second nature habit of wearing my utility belt to great advantage in solving this problem. I took some tough canvas material and sewed up a little pouch with a belt loop on the back and a velcro flap on top (I took home-ec my freshamn year; it was a required class, so yes, I do know how to sew) and then went and got a small dispenser of foaming hand sanitizer from a home medical supply store. I put it in the pouch and added it to my belt as another handy invention I had cooked up all on my own.

Next came the problem of getting your gloves on in a timely manner. So, I took my latex gloves (I just recently switched to purple nitrile) and paired them up into little bundles. I rolled the bundles up like a cigarette (several of my friends smoke, but I don't) and placed a tiny rubber band around them. All you have to do is pull the index finger and the band pops off and the gloves come unrolled. I bought one of those shiny stainless steel pill capsules with a watertight seal on it and put my little glove bundles in it. It also went on my belt.

So, when disaster strikes, all I ahve to do is flip my pouch open, give it a pump, rub, and pop the lid off the capsule and get a glove bundle out. Pull the finger, it comes unrolled, you slip it on, and you go to work doing your magic on the sick. Trust me, it works. I cut my prep time in half and it is more convenient because it is always at your side, ready for anything. It HAS been field tested by our FD and MFR units, and all were in satisfaction with the whole idea. by the way, were there ever any Paramedics that went on to become famous inventers by any chance?

 

[ResTech]

Sorry to come down on your excitement... but if your putting on gloves there is no need to use hand sanitizer before hand. The gloves are your barrier between patient and you and the hand sanitizer before the gloves isn't gonna make a bit of difference except take up time.

Even though I wear gloves on every patient contact, I will still use hand sanitizer or wash my hands afterwards. I think I have OCD due to the number of times I wash my hands in a given day... but nonetheless frequent hand washing is a good practice to get into. Nobody in EMS uses hand sanitizer before putting on their gloves.

Also, why would you be worried about donning gloves and using hand sanitizer when taking care of minor ailments on your nieces and nephews? They are family... as long as they are completely healthy and so are you, why bother with the gloves? Their blood is clean so nothing to worry about if it contacts you anyway.

 

[paramedichopeful]

I just got going with it and got into the habit of always gloving up when there is possibility of blood or other fluids. My CPR instructor took BSI to the limit and taught us every class to always put gloves on when you even TOUCH a patient. I mean, blood, and puke and everything doesn't bother me. I've had people bleed, pee and barf on me (NASCAR races always have interesting tailgate parties) and it doesn't bother me. I just saw it as a more professional way of giving care. And with the sanitizer thing, I don't always wash hands when I should. If someone has entrusted me with their care, I think I should at least give them the benefit of germ-free hands, even if I have gloves on. See what I mean?

 

[atropine]

WoW, you are truley a rick EEEE,

 

[Ridryder911]

It is good that you attempt to be clean (not sterile) before you apply gloves as gloves are just a barrier and they tear and allow leaks and even viruses to pass through. As well, one should attempt to keep clean as much as possible, for truthfully we should be wearing the gloves for the patient sake, as much as it for ours.

We come into contact with patients all the time that may not know and have immune problems. So yes, keep as clean as possible. "Scrubbing in" as you described albeit it a nice statement, I do truthfully doubt you are doing it correctly. Five minutes is what required for a what we call in the medical profession a true "scrub in" .

The main point is to wash your hands properly! Gloves does NOT give permission not to wash hands afterwards!

■Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap. Lather well.
■Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
■Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
■Rinse well.
■Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
■Use a towel to turn off the faucet

Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products. The CDC recommends choosing products that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.

To use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:

■Apply about 1/2 teaspoon of the product to the palm of your hand.
■Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of your hands, until they're dry.
If your hands are visibly dirty, however, wash with soap and water, if available, rather than a sanitizer

 

[CAOX3]

The biggest problem I face is that it takes me a long time to get scrubbed up and gloved up when I need to look at someone's results of battling gravity (I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews, none of which can go 5 minutes without falling). So, I decided to fix the problem at any rate. The solution I devised is simple and effective.

You see, I have always worn a belt with a multi-tool, a flashlight, and a canteen ever since I was a kid. My dad is a mechanic and also does construction work, so you need things available at short reach when you're 50 feet up on a ladder. I used the second nature habit of wearing my utility belt to great advantage in solving this problem. I took some tough canvas material and sewed up a little pouch with a belt loop on the back and a velcro flap on top (I took home-ec my freshamn year; it was a required class, so yes, I do know how to sew) and then went and got a small dispenser of foaming hand sanitizer from a home medical supply store. I put it in the pouch and added it to my belt as another handy invention I had cooked up all on my own.

Next came the problem of getting your gloves on in a timely manner. So, I took my latex gloves (I just recently switched to purple nitrile) and paired them up into little bundles. I rolled the bundles up like a cigarette (several of my friends smoke, but I don't) and placed a tiny rubber band around them. All you have to do is pull the index finger and the band pops off and the gloves come unrolled. I bought one of those shiny stainless steel pill capsules with a watertight seal on it and put my little glove bundles in it. It also went on my belt.

So, when disaster strikes, all I ahve to do is flip my pouch open, give it a pump, rub, and pop the lid off the capsule and get a glove bundle out. Pull the finger, it comes unrolled, you slip it on, and you go to work doing your magic on the sick. Trust me, it works. I cut my prep time in half and it is more convenient because it is always at your side, ready for anything. It HAS been field tested by our FD and MFR units, and all were in satisfaction with the whole idea. by the way, were there ever any Paramedics that went on to become famous inventers by any chance?

Ok you my friend need a hobby, or at least cable tv.

 

[Shishkabob]

Ok you my friend need a hobby, or at least cable tv.

You mean EMS isn't a hobby?


Well crap!

 

[ResTech]

He means a hobby that doesn't involve hand sanitizer on your belt.

 

[subliminal1284]

Take it easy on him, im willing to bet he is probably still a teenager.

 

[usafmedic45]

Take it easy on him, im willing to bet he is probably still a teenager.

That he is. He's a good kid and I'll make it very uncomfortable to sit down anyone who is mean to him.

ParamedicHopeful, like someone said, you don't have to scrub like you're going to be doing surgery before putting gloves on. Even having your hands sweaty often makes putting gloves on difficult, so I can only imagine what having sticky hand sanitizer residue on them would do. If you're carrying the hand sanitizer on your belt and using it before every minor case, you will simply look like an overeager newbie who is on the road to becoming a Ricky Rescue (or "wacker" as they like to call them on here). Calm down a little, breathe and try to think it through before engaging in any practice.

I have always worn a belt with a multi-tool, a flashlight, and a canteen ever since I was a kid.

I would stop doing that as soon as possible. Especially the canteen.

That said, I've found the best way to carry gloves with you is to put a pair or two into a empty film canister and carry it in your pocket. This is what I've done for several years. It keeps them at hand should I need them (which is not all that common), but keeps me from looking like an overeager newbie or some sort of paranoid survivalist.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I'm sorry, what's wrong with just putting them in your back pocket?

And I don't carry gloves with me at all times. Its a slippery slope--I would then have to carry a pocket mask, penlight, stethoscope, etc. I just decided early on in my career if I had gloves handy (just got off shift so there is still a pair in my back pocket, or i'm in my car, or I have my chem cloves in my backpack after getting out of lab) then i'll be able to help, but I'm not going to be preparted 24/7 for every possible scenario when I'm off duty. It's just too much to carry around and in an urban/suburban area where I live/work/go to school there is always EMS avaliable.

 

[usafmedic45]

I'm sorry, what's wrong with just putting them in your back pocket?

You mean besides the wear and tear on them from rubbing around in your pocket?

Its a slippery slope

Only if you're prone to being a Ricky Rescue and have not yet reached burnout.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

You mean besides the wear and tear on them from rubbing around in your pocket?



Only if you're prone to being a Ricky Rescue and have not yet reached burnout.

Well, I don't leave them there for days at a time. They usually stay there for about an hour, maybe a couple of hours tops if we have a lot of time between calls. I've never had an issue with wear even with having them in my back pocket or cargo pocket for an entire shift (i forget I put them in the other pocket sometimes).

It looks like our OP might be prone to being a Ricky Rescue. There was a saying I heard, "The experience of an EMT is indirectly proportional to the amount of items he is carrying on his belt." There are few items you need other than your radio on your belt. The only thing I might have there consistently other than the radio is my personal cell phone and that just alternates between there and my pocket. I've seen penlights on the belt, a pen pouch, flashlight etc. and it seems that the newest EMTs are the ones that have the most stuff. Pens, penlights and shears can go in your cargo pocket or outside of the cargo pocket. There really is no point in having all of that on your belt except to broadcast to people: "Look! I'm important!"

At my first job, the paramedics carried NOTHING on their belts. The felt they looked more professional that way. The Basic assigned to their truck would carry the portable radio (only one per truck issued) when not on the truck, and the text pager. If for some reason they were running medic-medic, the most junior guy carried the radio. I didn't mind having the radio and pager on my belt, but some of the medics would put the radio in their pocket and just turn up the volume they were that against having the brightly colored radios on their belt.

Now this is for regular EMS folks--there are many, many exceptions for TEMS, WEMS, etc.

 

[guardian528]

The biggest problem I face is that it takes me a long time to get scrubbed up and gloved up when I need to look at someone's results of battling gravity (I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews, none of which can go 5 minutes without falling)

i don't think it's completely necessary to put gloves on to treat your little nephew's scraped knee...

that said, you're thinking in the right direction of simplifying things to make them faster, although i think you over-thought the situation, making things actually take longer

 

[usafmedic45]

They usually stay there for about an hour, maybe a couple of hours tops if we have a lot of time between calls.

I believe the OP- who is a nice kid, although just starting his EMS training- is referring to off-duty time rather than while on duty.

 

[exodus]

I carry NOTHING! on my belt :]

 

[frdude1000]

Hey man, nice idea, not practical though. I am a teen first responder and I carry gloves with me, but not everywhere! I had the same whacko ideas when i first started. I bought $120 jump bag when I only had my first aid cert. Now I am a first responder, 60 hrs, and I don't ever use this waste of money. You need to stop over emsing. You are ONLY FA/CPR certified, you don't need fancy equiptment if you have it and you don't always need gloves for family members if they just fell and have a little "boo-boo". I urge you to continue to advance in EMS, just dont be a whacker. Also, you create too many threads as a non certified person and KID like I am. Just sit back and let the senior guys create threads, IE sasha, medic417, ventmedic, linuss, etc. They will teach you a lot, so read all the stuff, but cut back on posting. Also, when I first started, I was over obsessed, and it took away from being a kid (sports, friends). Dont let ems take over your life. Those are just my two cents.

 

[medichopeful]

Hey man, nice idea, not practical though. I am a teen first responder and I carry gloves with me, but not everywhere! I had the same whacko ideas when i first started. I bought $120 jump bag when I only had my first aid cert. Now I am a first responder, 60 hrs, and I don't ever use this waste of money. You need to stop over emsing. You are ONLY FA/CPR certified, you don't need fancy equiptment if you have it and you don't always need gloves for family members if they just fell and have a little "boo-boo". I urge you to continue to advance in EMS, just dont be a whacker. Also, you create too many threads as a non certified person and KID like I am. Just sit back and let the senior guys create threads, IE sasha, medic417, ventmedic, linuss, etc. They will teach you a lot, so read all the stuff, but cut back on posting. Also, when I first started, I was over obsessed, and it took away from being a kid (sports, friends). Dont let ems take over your life. Those are just my two cents.

Gabe has some good points, paramedichopeful. Don't get so excited and do so much preparing that you burn yourself out before you get into the field.

In regards to the posts, I haven't really seen too many problems with them. Just try to keep calm, and not get too excited. If you have questions, ask! The only stupid question is the one not asked.

You will be a great provider, but let things happen. Enjoy your childhood. I wish that I had done the same. They are years you can't get back. Granted, I am only 19, so this may sound ridiculous. But I spent so much time thinking about a career in LE, that I burned myself out on it and drove myself crazy for 3-4 years.

Eric

 

[Shishkabob]

Also, you create too many threads as a non certified person and KID like I am. Just sit back and let the senior guys create threads, IE sasha, medic417, ventmedic, linuss, etc. They will teach you a lot, so read all the stuff, but cut back on posting.

Senior? Teach? Who is this Linuss you speak of?

^_^

 

[EMT11KDL]

Senior? Teach? Who is this Linuss you speak of?

^_^

he is talking about the other Linuss from Texas