What's In My Bag?


by Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
Joined practice July 2006 of
John K Throckmorton, DPM
Lansing, Michigan

I've mentioned in prior editorials that being prepared is essential for a physician. One of those times to be prepared is in the hospital. When I first started in practice, I figured, "Now I won't have to carry a lot of paraphernalia in my pockets." Boy, was I wrong. I found out quickly that the hospital is no more organized for attending physicians than for residents. After a couple of wild goose chases trying to find appropriate dressing supplies, I decided to become a mobile podiatry unit: I pulled my residency hospital bag out of the closet and started using it again.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to this method?

I'll start with the disadvantages, since there are so few. First, I have a bag hanging over my shoulder, which can sometimes be cumbersome. Second, you have to be very sure to keep it clean. Instruments have to be autoclaved. Medications have to be discarded and replaced when they expire.

The advantages are pretty obvious. First, I don't have to search for dressing supplies or instruments. We've all tried to order supplies to a patient's bedside over the phone, hoping tos make an efficient dressing change or perform a bedside procedure, only to be thwarted by delays and nurses who aren't familiar with orthopedics. Second, I can keep some advanced wound care products with me that are not available in my local hospital system.

So what do I keep in my bag? The following is a list of supplies I carry.

Instruments
  • Hand-held doppler (We bought these during medical school, and I've kept it in good condition. For those of you practice management inclined, you can bill this only if you print out the findings.)
  • Bard parker and beaver knife handles with refill blades (10, 15, and 6700).
  • Kelly hemostat
  • Needle driver
  • Splinter forceps
  • Adson forceps
  • Probe and packer
  • Nail nippers
  • Utility scissors
  • Suture removal scissors
  • Stethoscope
  • Pen light
  • Reflex hammer
  • Semmes-Weinstein 5.07 monofilament
  • Goniometer

Supplies
  • 4x4s
  • Kerlix
  • Various suture
  • Tongue depressors
  • Sterile cotton swabs
  • Tape
  • Coban
  • Unna wrap
  • Bandaids
  • Triple antibiotic ointment
  • Silvadene 1% cream
  • 1% lidocaine plain with various needles and 5cc syringes
  • Acticoat silver dressing
  • Any alginate dressings I can get my hands on.
  • Accuzyme and Iodosorb ointment

This list isn't entirely comprehensive, of course.  The supplies often vary based on what I can beg or borrow.  What else would you add to this list? Send in your suggestions and I'll publish them in the next issue. Remember, with your busy life, you don't have time to fool around in the hospital.  Organization will get you finished that much quicker and with better patient outcomes.

Let's hear your suggestions.


Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT New Docs Editor
[email protected]

 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


***Attire for externships***

Any tips on what to wear as a student on externships?
Khristine Apor
[email protected]

Editor’s Response
A good rule to follow is: dress to impress.  For externs this means showing up for your first day in dress cloths and white coat.  Organized programs should provide you with scrubs and instructions when to wear them.  If you’re going to shadow a doc in their office, wear dress cloths and white coat.  Don’t wear scrubs to their office unless they tell you directly.  Have a few supplies ready in your white coat to show how prepared you are (for example, cotton swabs to probe wounds, measuring tapes, scissors, tape for dressings, pen light, etc.).
— Jarrod Shapiro, DPM

***Sketchers Shoes***

I believe that you could do better than a pair of Sketchers.  Perhaps one of the shoes endorsed by the APMA....just a thought.

Regards,
Rob Conenello, DPM
PS-Even though I've been in practice for 16 years, I find your insight refreshing...Thanks.
[email protected]

GRAND SPONSOR

This program is supported by
an educational grant from
STRATA DIAGNOSTICS




MAJOR SPONSORS