What's in your bag?

nwiemt

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So it was pretty slow today at the station, and one of the paramedics was cleaning out her bag. Of course we were bored so we decided to see what she carried around, which prompted everyone to empty their bag for our personal amusement. What do you have? Here is what I have:

1) Sony eBook Reader - Passes the time
2) iPod & headphones
3) 14 pens (I am a collector apparently)
4) my last pay stub (sad sight there)
5) 6 Tootsie-Rolls (assorted flavors)
6) Stapler (we do run reports the old fashioned way)
7) Stethoscope (bight orange sprague)
8) mini-maglight (which I was happy about, because I thought I lost it)
9) 9 gum wrappers (still smelled like wintergreen too)
10) my company ID badge (wore that like once, we have name plates on the uniform, why carry a badge too?)
11) 2 blowpops (sour apple)
12) Chapstick (the one in the blue)
13) $9.47 in change (happy little surprise there, I was able to buy breakfast.)
14) Expired coupons for Panera Bread (good thing I found all that money)
15) Advil, Tylenol, and DayQuil in those little single dose packs and a big bottle of Excedrine (my liver hates me for it, but I eat them like candy some days)
16) phone charger (also works for the eBook Reader)
17) A bunched up piece of paper that turned out to be the homework I lost for paramedic school a few weeks ago (Thank goodness the instructor didn't collect that one)
18) My rigs broken glucometer that I was supposed to leave on the station managers desk (well I did that finally)
19) monitor strip on unknown pt with NSR at 74 bpm, and a note on back that says "this nurse is pi$$ing me off" in my partners handwriting. (she wouldn't release care of the patient to a paramedic until she cleared it with the ADN because the patient was critical.... yeah... thats why your podunk hospital called for a transport to a hospital with an ICU for that patient!!!)
20) a list of names to make cards out for my last CPR class (the class was on Friday, this one was actually not lost in the pit, I knew it was there in the side picket)
21) butane lighter i use to heat my ambulance key for when it freezes shut (though since the bag is in the ambulance that was some bad planning)
22) Last.... a crisp $1.00 bill bringing the grand total up to... $10.47 I didn't think I had. (I love how seeing a dollar got me all excited)

What do you guys carry... and I don't mean what do you think you carry... go look, it's time to clean out the bag. You might just be able to get some Panera Bread without needing the coupon with all the money you find... on a side note, Panera Bread gets all huffy if you pay with mostly dimes and nickles.
 

VentMedic

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19) monitor strip on unknown pt with NSR at 74 bpm, and a note on back that says "this nurse is pi$$ing me off" in my partners handwriting. (she wouldn't release care of the patient to a paramedic until she cleared it with the ADN because the patient was critical.... yeah... thats why your podunk hospital called for a transport to a hospital with an ICU for that patient!!!)

Was your Paramedic qualified to take that patient? Was it the way he was asking the RN to hurry up and set up the meds pumps for him? ICUs and EDs have held patients longer until a more appropriate crew can be assembled which may be another service or their own staff to accompany the patient. IFT hold a lot of liability for both hospitals.
 
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nwiemt

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I was with a critical care medic (20 years of experience, U of Maryland CCEMT-P cert), at a 20 bed hospital with no surgical facility, and no doc on the premesis. The nurse was an LPN who was unable to set up any of the meds herself. She was unfamiliar with the the differences between an EMT, the only type of pre-hospital response in the area, and a paramedic. Once the house supervisor showed up and assured the LPN it was ok, we were able to leave. Fortunately the man was not awaiting time sensitive treatment, so we were able to be political and wait as long as the nurse needed. I am well aware of the liabilities of IFT transport, my service actually has nurse cars (2 medics, one CCRN or CEN) which we send out for very critical patients. In the future more questions before the assumptions would be very much appreciated.
 

TransportJockey

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Hmmm... Lets see.

1 Asus Netbook and power adaptor
1 Amazon Kindle
Charging cords (usb) for Zune, Kindle, HTC Hero, USB to wall adaptor plug
Microsoft Zune 30 (older model) w/ headsets
1 ALS field guide
1 field pharmacology guide
Rescue hook attached to the front of the bag
Flashlight
2 pens
Ibuprofen
2 packets of instant oatmeal (Maple and Brown sugar :D)
2 packets of hot chocolate
Nalgene water bottle
Power bar chocolate and peanut butter Harvest bar

And that's it.
 

Sasha

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Bodies!

Oh wait, that's what's in my trunk..

My laptop, a box of butter cookies, spare phone charger, some "emergency" money for when I forget my wallet, the third twilight book that I never finished reading but don't want to take out, changes of clothes and some random medical supplies that somehow end up in my pocket and end up in my bag or in my dryer.
 

TransportJockey

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Bodies!

Oh wait, that's what's in my trunk..

My laptop, a box of butter cookies, spare phone charger, some "emergency" money for when I forget my wallet, the third twilight book that I never finished reading but don't want to take out, changes of clothes and some random medical supplies that somehow end up in my pocket and end up in my bag or in my dryer.

Mmmm Butter cookies
 

VentMedic

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I was with a critical care medic (20 years of experience, U of Maryland CCEMT-P cert), at a 20 bed hospital with no surgical facility, and no doc on the premesis. The nurse was an LPN who was unable to set up any of the meds herself. She was unfamiliar with the the differences between an EMT, the only type of pre-hospital response in the area, and a paramedic. Once the house supervisor showed up and assured the LPN it was ok, we were able to leave. Fortunately the man was not awaiting time sensitive treatment, so we were able to be political and wait as long as the nurse needed. I am well aware of the liabilities of IFT transport, my service actually has nurse cars (2 medics, one CCRN or CEN) which we send out for very critical patients. In the future more questions before the assumptions would be very much appreciated.

Still didn't answer my question about being qualified. Just about anyone from different professions can take that overview of an overview course and use the letters CCEMTP.

And I do realize that you asked questions, but with obvious assumptions

You post a list of mostly trash in your bag and something about your medic's disgust with a nurse who probably only wants a safe transport for his/her patient. What did you expect? Praise for keeping a dirty broken piece of medical equipment used to measure a patient's blood in a bag next to your undershorts and chapstick? I hope you told the biomed department so they can do a thorough cleaning of that glucometer since it was improperly stored.
 
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Sasha

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Mmmm Butter cookies

Be jealous!

To be clear when I say medical supplies i mean a few spare 4x4s some tape and a penlight that may or may not be mine.
 

MrBrown

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Its not what is in my bag you should be concerned about, but rather what is in the vehicle with tinted windows that we are taking you to strapped on a gurney
 

ah2388

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Still didn't answer my question about being qualified. Just about anyone from different professions can take that overview of an overview course and use the letters CCEMTP.



You post a list of mostly trash in your bag and something about your medic's disgust with a nurse who probably only wants a safe transport for his/her patient. What did you expect? Praise for keeping a dirty broken piece of medical equipment used to measure a patient's blood in a bag next to your undershorts and chapstick? I hope you told the biomed department so they can do a thorough cleaning of that glucometer since it was improperly stored.

Harsh much

I recognize the importance of the point youre trying to make, but OP was simply sharing a story...

please dont rant on me, this isnt intended to be an attack on you...just sharing an observation
 
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VentMedic

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please for one post take the serious pants off..

I recognize the importance of the point youre trying to make, but he was simply sharing a story...

And where exactly is it informative to EMS except for carrying sensitive medical equipment in a bag of trash? And some wonder why their data isn't taken seriously or their test results are questioned....

If you do not see why medical equipment should be handled with care or why patient care is a serious issue especially if you treat bad test results, well that speaks volumes already.

We've already been down this topic when others can't figure out why their employers don't give them more equipment to be responsible for.
 
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ah2388

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And where exactly is it informative to EMS except for carrying sensitive medical equipment in a bag of trash? And some wonder why their data isn't taken seriously or their test results are questioned....

If you do not see why medical equipment should be handled with care or why patient care is a serious issue especially if you treat bad test results, well that speaks volumes already.

We've already been down this topic when others can't figure out why their employers don't give them more equipment.

i was speaking more to the nurse in the rural hospital..

As I stated I understand the point you are trying to make but just feel like coming down on OP like a ton of bricks is a bit harsh..

I attribute his post to something like "shop talk" rather than a serious attempt at something relevant..

With that being said

Ive got a couple books, a scope, an extra uniform shirt/pant, extra socks, my laptop/charger, cell charger and then food of course.
 

VentMedic

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i was speaking more to the nurse in the rural hospital..

As I stated I understand the point you are trying to make but just feel like coming down on OP like a ton of bricks is a bit harsh..

Rural nurse?

Ask that nurse what his/her lab manager would say if he/she found a glucometer treated like that. Chances are that nurse would not longer be allowed the privilege of POC testing and his/her coworkers would be a little upset doing more work or calling lab for every BGL. If we found out the Flight or CCT team did that with the iSTAT, all would be taking an extensive refresher course before we would hold the POC cert for its use by them. I bet whoever is holding that cert on this glucometer would love to know about how it is treated.

If you treat a valuable piece of medical equipment like trash, how do you treat other equipment or patient care?

Just because it is a fluff 'shop talk' doesn't give one the excuse not to take care of the things they are trusted with.
 
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Buzz

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-An old dell laptop
-Aspirin, Tylenol, and Dayquil
-Various hard candies
-Bottle of hand sanitizer
-USB Speakers for the laptop
-CD copies of protocols for two counties
-Taken and Burn Notice: Season 1 on DVD
-GPS
-Various rolls of tape
-A Master brand combination lock
-A keychain that says "Why can't I be rich instead of so damn good looking"
-Napkins
-Box of cigars

Yup... that's my crazy bag.
 

lightsandsirens5

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Let's see......

One pair of blue sewatpants
Two pairs of grey Smartwool sox
Belt
One can of Veg. soup
One can of corn
iPhone headphones
Receipt from Safeway
Chapstick
Penlight
Flashlight with no batteries
Tube of toothpaste (no toothbrush?)
A card with the sign language alphabet on it (must be from my sister who wants me to learn)
7 laytex gloves
A used Delta airlines ticket from Spokane, WA to SLC, UT
A Washington DC Metro map and sked.
3 pens
Fingernail clippers
Passport
Raspberry gum
Small folding knife
$3.71 in change
Two nasty looking paper towels,
Several candy bar wrappers

Nuffin else
 

triemal04

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Wow...looks like someone once again made a crap-load of ASSumptions and leaped onto their soapbox...again. Let's count them up.

1. ASSuming the OP keeps their "undershorts" in their personal bag...didn't see that listed, but hey, maybe I missed it.
2. ASSuming the OP didn't have the glucometer in it's carrying case while it was in his/her bag.
3. ASSuming the glucometer was something other than the normal over-the-counter (so to speak) glucometer that is used by diabetics at home and by most ambulance services and are generally very durable.
4. ASSuming the glucometer wasn't in a separate pocket of his/her bag and was mixed up with "mostly trash."
5. ASSuming that the items listed were "mostly trash." Personally I only saw a couple things that would meet that qualification but hey, that's just me.
6. ASSuming that the paramedic was unqualified to take charge of a pt.
7. ASSuming that said paramedic told the nurse to "hurry up" and set up a pump for him/her.
8. ASSuming that the pt even had any drips going or had a pump in use.

I probably missed a couple but those seem to be the most glaring. Anybody else see a trend in all the ASSumptions that are being made?
 

VentMedic

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Wow...looks like someone once again made a crap-load of ASSumptions and leaped onto their soapbox...again. Let's count them up.

1. ASSuming the OP keeps their "undershorts" in their personal bag...didn't see that listed, but hey, maybe I missed it.
2. ASSuming the OP didn't have the glucometer in it's carrying case while it was in his/her bag.
3. ASSuming the glucometer was something other than the normal over-the-counter (so to speak) glucometer that is used by diabetics at home and by most ambulance services and are generally very durable.
4. ASSuming the glucometer wasn't in a separate pocket of his/her bag and was mixed up with "mostly trash."
5. ASSuming that the items listed were "mostly trash." Personally I only saw a couple things that would meet that qualification but hey, that's just me.
6. ASSuming that the paramedic was unqualified to take charge of a pt.
7. ASSuming that said paramedic told the nurse to "hurry up" and set up a pump for him/her.
8. ASSuming that the pt even had any drips going or had a pump in use.

I probably missed a couple but those seem to be the most glaring. Anybody else see a trend in all the ASSumptions that are being made?

So you think a person's own private glucometer is the same as that in EMS? They probably aren't since the person who has a glucometer for their own testing knows the value of it and how to take care of it. The OP clearly stated he kept this piece of equipment in a bag with a bunch of stuff that was mostly trash. I didn't make that up.

Even if a piece of medical equipment is considered durable, that is no reason to treat it like trash. Maybe it is too much responsibility for some which if that is how you treat the equipment your are trusted with, that would include you.

And if an EMT is bashing a nurse without knowing all the facts, it is fair game. If the Paramedic only has the UMBC cert, that does NOT automatically qualify him to transport a critical care patient. Or, it may by patch but not by knowledge. Those are two very different things. If that is the Paramedic's only claim to bash a nurse then there is an issue.

If you post your trash, literally, on an open forum expect some comment.
 
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