BLS Supplies for ground pounders

[adamjh3]

I recently landed a job with a company that runs stand by for a variety of youth sporting events, camps, and other recreational activities. With this company the employee works as an independent contractor and as such is expected to have their own supplies. The company does have a small amount spare equipment that they can lend out, but this will add a lot of extra drive time to my commute as I'll have to pick up the equipment, drive to the event, and then drop off the equipment after the event. Not to mention the fact that it seems the company will not always have enough equipment to loan out to everyone. No gear = no job, so I'm going to take the safe route and build my own kit.

The minimum list of supplies is as follows:

Basically, my questions are:

1. Is there anything you would add (aside from a clip board and maybe a couple SAM splints)?

2. It looks like I will be responding on foot, as such I'd like to organize this all into a backpack or other easy to carry bag. Any recommendations on that front?

 

[JPINFV]

Drop:

H202

Alcohol pads (why have alcohol pads AND antibiotic cream?)

Why 2 sizes of elastic bandage AND athletic tape? Also, I've heard vet wrap (brand name: Vetrap) is a good alternative to elastic bandages and athletic tape, especially given the price, but I never had a chance to play with it).

Why 2x2s AND 4x4s? Scissors!

Either drop the O2 supplies or add an oxygen tank.

Consider dropping the BVMs for a pocket mask.



Add:

Stethoscope

Bandage scissors (There have been times where I've been very happy to have something smaller than trauma shears)

Since you've come this far, portable suction

Tampons and pads (You'll be surprised if there's a sizable portion of ladies past puberty, probably handed out one or two a shift when I worked at a water park).

Bottled water.

Consider making up sheets with directions to the closest hospital.

Sun block.


If you have some sort of base of operations available for a lot of these:

Tarp and weights (alternatively a portable exam or massage table if you have one or a cot)

Camping chair or stool (especially if you have a massage table or cot).

Small cooler that you can fill with ice and baggies (cheaper than instant ice packs, but not a replacement if you have to go to the patient).

 

[bigbaldguy]

Couple of trash bags might come in handy for soiled clothing, puking kid Ect.. SPF 50 sunblock and bug spray (or off wipes) to let people use. The sanitary napkins JP suggested is definitely a must because someone always asks you for one.

 

[CaydenElizalde]

I work as a floor EMT at a casino right across the border in Oklahoma and we carry backpacks that hold all of our medical equipment. They're heavy as crap, but very very useful. My list will be all out of order and random from trying to haphazardly remember where everything is.

1 O2 tank (2000lbs)
1 O2 NC
1 O2 Venturi Mask
1 BVM (Adult/pedi masks)
1 Lifepak500 AED (Adult/pedi pads)
Glucometer (w/ lancets, test strips, and alcohol prep pads in the kit)
2 tubes of d-15 oral glucose
1pack of 20 4X4s
4 vetrap bandages
1 sam splint
1 Thermoscan Ear thermometer (w/ filters for sanitary purposes...)
1 bottle of sterile water
20 emesis bags
5 island dressings
7 packs of rolled gauze
1 bottle H2O2
1 Littman Master Classic stethoscope
1 BP Cuff
random box of tampons and pads

On my pants, I carry scissors, a pair of clamps, surgical scissors, notepad, penlight, and various pens.

Just carry the essentials and don't weigh yourself down with what you don't need.

 

[JPINFV]

5 island dressings

Why 5 and not 1000? h34r:

1 bottle H2O2

One of these days, the use of H2O2 is finally going to be put out to pasture. The concept of pouring a cytotoxic agent into a cut would be hilarious if it wasn't so wide spread.

 

[Akulahawk]

I'd say to either drop the H2O2 or get the smallest bottle you can get and never use it on/in a wound. While it has some uses, I don't recommend it for cleaning wounds. It actually works too well. It will kill viable tissue that it comes into contact with, thus making your body have to deal with more debris in the wound. Healing time takes an extra 2-3 days...

Keep the athletic tape and the under wrap. Coban, vetrap, and other self-adherent stuff like that works wonders. Just get the cheapest stuff you can find that's somewhat elastic.

I definitely think that you should have a set of bandage shears with trauma shears. If you're going to have O2 supplied by the vendor, you should definitely keep the O2 supplies. If not, drop the O2 cannulas and masks. They won't be of much use without the O2 flowing.

The alcohol pads can go... but a triple antibiotic should stay in inventory. Sunblock is a MUST and you should keep some for yourself too. A supply of ice bags and a good cooler full of ice is a must if you are stationary. It's a LOT cheaper than the ice packs, works better, and you can make more of them. If you get a restaurant to donate the ice and a supermarket to donate some clear plastic produce bags, it can be even cheaper!

Also, tampons and pads can be very useful. You should carry more pads than tampons though. The pads can make for a very absorbent dressing if need be...

And a stethoscope.

I tend to personalize my kits for the role I work in and I pack everything so that I know where everything is. I have made kits that ranged in size from a small quart ziploc bag size to a full-on EMS jump-kit size.

And a thought just occurred to me: If you're going to get your own athletic tape, get the J&J stuff. Pretty much everything else is crap by comparison. Zonas is great stuff, but expensive. Their athletic tape is one notch down and works just as well.

 

[adamjh3]

Unfortunately, everything on the list I have is mandatory, so I am unable to drop anything. I'm loving the suggestions, a lot of stuff I wouldn't have thought of until I needed it. Keep 'em coming.

Also, any thoughts on the actual bag I should use to carry all this junk? Like I said, I'll mostly be ground pounding if I have to go to someone, so I want it to be fairly portable. But still easily usable when I'm set up under the first aid tent.

 

[JPINFV]

So... are they providing an oxygen tank then? If you have to supply everything, can they allow you to make suggestions about consolidating some of the supplies? I'm just trying to figure out why you need so much oxygen supplies, but no oxygen source.

 

[Underoath87]

Do your protocols not allow EMTs to take a blood glucose level?
Because an Accucheck could come in handy.

 

[Underoath87]

Also, tampons and pads can be very useful. You should carry more pads than tampons though. The pads can make for a very absorbent dressing if need be...

Yeah, but tampons can be used for nosebleeds
Unless its those gigantic ones...

 

[adamjh3]

So... are they providing an oxygen tank then? If you have to supply everything, can they allow you to make suggestions about consolidating some of the supplies? I'm just trying to figure out why you need so much oxygen supplies, but no oxygen source.

You know, I'm not 100% certain, from their website:

Our EMT’s and Paramedics arrive at your location with all the equipment necessary to provide treatment to your players. – including but not limited to oxygen, airway management supplies, first aid, spinal immobilization equipment, ice packs, heat packs and more.

So it looks like they do.

I'll have my first FTO shift next Saturday, so I'm planning on using one of their bags and seeing how it's set up and try to see how they work the O2 side of things.

And another question, Israeli bandages can be used as TQs, no?

Do your protocols not allow EMTs to take a blood glucose level?
Because an Accucheck could come in handy.

Negative, would be handy, though.

 

[JPINFV]

Hmm... Looking at their website, something like this would almost make it worth wild to see if I could get my EMT license back.

Also, spinal immobilization, but they don't require a backboard, just c-collars?

 

[adamjh3]

The company doesn't do transport, so I think if c-spine is initiated, it's just until an ambulance can show up to take over and get them on a board.

The less time the patient spends on an LSB the better, I think.

 

[Bosco836]

Bag Recommendation - http://www.dealmed.com/Products/Trauma-Bags/G1-BackUp-Large-EMS-Bag

Things to add/consider:

Ice Packs --> a few more may be a good idea; these tend to become popular at sporting events
More triangles --> triangles can be extremely versatile, are small, and light weight. Having another 3-4 probably wouldn't hurt.
SAM splint
BZK wipes (they don't hurt as much as alcohol)
Bio-hazard Bags (which can double as vomit bags)
30cc syringe --> if you're using sterile water/sodium chloride for irrigation, this can be useful
O2 Tank (obviously)
Glucometer (if this is allowed in your scope)
Stethoscope

 

[JPINFV]

The company doesn't do transport, so I think if c-spine is initiated, it's just until an ambulance can show up to take over and get them on a board.

The less time the patient spends on an LSB the better, I think.

Wild Rivers didn't transport either, yet he had 2 in first aid and a few more scattered around the park. This made retrieving them really fun, especially when the Ferno head bed ended up at one hospital and the backboard halfway across the county. The problem is that without a board or vacuum splint of some kind you're going to end up on the field until EMS arrives.

 

[mycrofft]

Your list looks 'way over-long to me, but...

Nothing says you have to use it all.
I have quite a few recommendations, but this has been gone over so many times, I have come to realize that, since you have the basics and the training, you will do best by yourself to make and modify your own kit. It's an extension of yourself.

OK, my three recommendations:
1. Put the "owie" stuff and some Qwik Kolds in a belt or vest (fishing vest will do), keep the rest of the stuff in a sturdy carrier. Preferably one you can stand on (see over the crowd) or sit on (it gets tiring).
2. Get a netbook to make rapid consults with EMTLIFE.
3. Reconsider working for this or any company that makes you buy a mandatory kit but won't pay you back for it. Also, from my experience over two seasons, anything over first aid is civilly and professionally risky, especially if you do not have a certificate or degree in sports related care. Read up on this stuff as much as you can, especially any horror stories.

 

[Anjel]

I would definitely add more cold packs. And lots and lots of bandaids.

 

[Anjel]

http://www.galls.com/style-TK096-general_catalog-dyna-med-medic-back-pack-first-responder-kit

This maybe?

 

[JPINFV]

3. Reconsider working for this or any company that makes you buy a mandatory kit but won't pay you back for it.

I think it depends. I don't necessarily have a problem with a company requiring independent contractors to supply their own equipment, including consumables. However, if that's the case, then they better be paying a rate that, on average, would cover the supplies used. If I'm working and having to supply my own consumables, then I better be getting paid more than $10-15/hr.

 

[Sandog]

Unfortunately, everything on the list I have is mandatory, so I am unable to drop anything. I'm loving the suggestions, a lot of stuff I wouldn't have thought of until I needed it. Keep 'em coming.

Also, any thoughts on the actual bag I should use to carry all this junk? Like I said, I'll mostly be ground pounding if I have to go to someone, so I want it to be fairly portable. But still easily usable when I'm set up under the first aid tent.

Since you live in San Diego, you can get a pretty nice bag for pretty cheap at Stars and Stripes in El Cajon. In fact they have many of the supplies you need as well.
http://www.starsnstripessurplusstore.com/home.nxg

You can also try some of the other surplus stores in that area.