Newly hired EMT, any suggestions for gear to get

[sdennislee]

Good boots, the best you can afford since you'll be in them 12 hrs a day
Ton of pens
Notebook the kind you can write on in the rain
Knife but one that clips inside your pocket
I also carry blue tinted safety glasses for flat light conditions in the snow, doubt you have that problem in CA
My own scope, don't want anyone else's ear wax
Surefire E2D flashlight
Punture resistant gloves
Propper Pants, they furnish shirts, coats, and coveralls
Shears
Couple of candy bars

 

[DesertMedic66]

Again buy nothing until you find out what is supplied and what is required. Don't buy based on a bunch of strangers on a web site.

Exactly this. My company provides everything needed except for boots (when we recert we get a $300 boot giftcard).

We are given pants but have the option of buying our own.

The only thing I could suggest is a knife (I always carry one for multiple reasons) and a small flashlight.

 

[adamjh3]

Surefire E2D flashlight

Honestly, save your money and get a 4Sevens Quark, a poor man's Surefire. And that's coming from a guy with 3 surefires a couple Malkoff's and an HDS.

 

[IRIDEZX6R]

...but learn on the crappy ones in the rig first, so when yours grows legs you won't be useless.

I just got my own steth after more than a year in the field an I think I'm better off for it.

EDIT: I disagree on not having a knife, I've always got one on me, never know when it will come in handy. Then again, that's just how I was raised.
Never needed it near a patient though. Oh, and don't get some lame *** "rescue" knife either. Get yourself a decent slipjoint that you can drop in your pocket with your keys. No way anyone will get a hold of that.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Ookay, I agree on that... I do carry one on me. But its unaccessable to pt's.

 

[IRIDEZX6R]

Well, you can only learn so much with crappy ones, but yes, it would be useful to be familiar with them. And thats why I promote engravings.
Agreed, the stethoscope quality can certainly affect proper sounds and ultimately patient care.

You are aware that we only use them for V/S, lung sounds and once in a blue moon heart sounds for trauma right? Were not cardiologists, you make it sound like its only half the tool for job. YES nicer ones are easier to use... but its still the same tool. We're not checking for heart murmers or indept stuff here..

 

[Katy]

You are aware that we only use them for V/S, lung sounds and once in a blue moon heart sounds for trauma right? Were not cardiologists, you make it sound like its only half the tool for job. YES nicer ones are easier to use... but its still the same tool. We're not checking for heart murmers or indept stuff here..

You do realize I never claimed you to be a Cardiologist? No, it isn't, but the stethoscope is one of the vital tools an EMT has. I don't know about you, but checking the heart is always a good principle to have. And, do you not check for bowel sounds when required ? Sorry, but if I'm going to be responsible for patient care, I'm going to do the best I can to ensure I am capable.

 

[DesertMedic66]

And, do you not check for bowel sounds when required ?

Nope. We only use steths for BP and lung sounds at the BLS level (in my area)

 

[AlphaButch]

I agree on finding out what the service provides first. No need in wasting your money if they already have the gear or if they have specific guidelines involving the gear you're allowed to carry. At my service, we have certain brands of pants, belts, knives, etc that we're allowed to use.

Any equipment outside of what is provided requires approval or puts you against company policy for "use of unauthorized equipment". Some of the equipment used by our personnel have to be in our protocols and/or approved by the state. This may just require a memorandum, but sometimes requires full manuals, studies, etc.

Other than that.

Good boots. These will get more use than anything else you carry, buy em', break em' and take care of 'em.

 

[NREMTroe]

You do realize I never claimed you to be a Cardiologist? No, it isn't, but the stethoscope is one of the vital tools an EMT has. I don't know about you, but checking the heart is always a good principle to have. And, do you not check for bowel sounds when required ? Sorry, but if I'm going to be responsible for patient care, I'm going to do the best I can to ensure I am capable.

Where I'm at I'm with a paramedic, so really the only time that I use the stethoscope is when they want to confirm something, or I just feel I want to listen. IMO as an EMT you really don't need a fancy scope, at least in my area, because you have you and a paramedic. If your going to be the one in the back of the truck, then yes get a set of ears, but you don't have to spend tons of money on it.


Back to the OP. If you have any doubts, you can call the company and ask exactly what you should bring with you. Thats what I did when I first started and they are more than happy to tell you up front, rather than you bringing everything you own with you on the first day.

 

[bigdogems]

You do realize I never claimed you to be a Cardiologist? No, it isn't, but the stethoscope is one of the vital tools an EMT has. I don't know about you, but checking the heart is always a good principle to have. And, do you not check for bowel sounds when required ? Sorry, but if I'm going to be responsible for patient care, I'm going to do the best I can to ensure I am capable.

Ive yet to see a single time where bowel sounds were required in the field.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Where I'm at I'm with a paramedic, so really the only time that I use the stethoscope is when they want to confirm something, or I just feel I want to listen. IMO as an EMT you really don't need a fancy scope, at least in my area, because you have you and a paramedic. If your going to be the one in the back of the truck, then yes get a set of ears, but you don't have to spend tons of money on it.

I've had albuterol and atrovent administered either on my order or given myself based on my assessment of breathing sounds. I'm also permitted to use BIADs, and we check breath sounds after their placement. You can probably do that with the scope on the truck if you would like, but there's not really a difference between the EMT and Paramedic in this regard. Also, having my own scope means I always have a scope within a seconds reach, whereas the medics i'm with will have to fumble with our jump bag to get one (assuming the jump bag made it to the patient's side).

 

[medic417]

Ive yet to see a single time where bowel sounds were required in the field.

Makes me wonder how you do patient assessment. Any complaint related to abd ( pain, illness, constipation, etc ) requires proper assessment. Proper assessment would include auscultation. Are bowels silent, hyperactive, normal? Your exam can help doctor decide how quickly they need to get into the patients room.

I'm sure you know this already and I probably am misunderstanding the point you were making.

 

[Katy]

Ive yet to see a single time where bowel sounds were required in the field.

You don't listen to bowel sounds on a patient when you do a full assessment? You've never had a call for someone with abdominal pain where you assesed if bowel sounds were present in all four quadrants, and whether they were hyperactive or hypoactive?

 

[DrParasite]

Makes me wonder how you do patient assessment. Any complaint related to abd ( pain, illness, constipation, etc ) requires proper assessment. Proper assessment would include auscultation. Are bowels silent, hyperactive, normal? Your exam can help doctor decide how quickly they need to get into the patients room.

I'm sure you know this already and I probably am misunderstanding the point you were making.

You know, I can't recall the last time I listened to bowel sounds.

I also can't recall when the last time paramedics listened to bowel sounds, or did something as a result of abnormal bowel sounds.

I also can't recall the last time any doctor took a report from me about a patient with abdominal pain (usually it's a nurse who does that), nor do I think he or she would jump into the patient's room if I said they were abnormal.

I can't speak for anyone else, but my prehospital treatment is probably not going to change if I find the bowel sounds are normal or not, assuming there are no other signs or symptoms that indicate a critical problem.