Systems For Touching Gurney/Clipboard/Pens without Gloves?

[AnthonyM83]

Just wanted to say I'm loving the new system of mainly just keeping the back clean, no glovees unless needed, just good wash after each call. Clipboard stays clean in front until after call (gotta go back for it after pt delivery so RN can sign for pt, so pt can sign for ambulance ride, and getting insurance/ptaddress info). Only problem so far is getting tired on long IFTs and rubbing my face/eyes since I'm not wearing gloves.

Still have a pang of worry that I may get come contact diseases...MRSA?

[AnthonyM83]

I do that on every single patient. It's the only way to avoid having to handle that piece of paper, keep it handy, and not end up wondering where that little piece of EKG strip with all my vitals on it went.

I don't even touch the clipboard until I have already delivered the patient to the ER and washed my hands.

Where do you keep your info for the report to the ER nurse? Do you write everything on that strip of tape? (DOB, allergies, meds - can be a lot sometimes, list of multiple signs/symptoms) Or just keep it in your head?

[emtpsaveu911]

Remember 3 in. tape is pretty wide and i tear off a pretty good size(about palm size or a little bigger) and then it's my notes so i abbreviate or write shorthand or whatever the point is i've been doing this long enough i should know what my own note taking system means and as for the people who have a million meds well take their list (if they have one and copy in ER) or i've been handed a shopping bag full of meds before , you just have to look through to see what are the pertinent ones then at ER worry about sorting through the rest. And yes i go off memory also , You learn what personally you tend to forget on calls so thats what you need to write down it's different for everybody. Easy call/short run go off memory most likely.

It's just a little trick i learned long ago it may not work for you but it one less thing you have to worry about losing because it's taped right to your thigh . I always had to dig through the truck ( or the trash or i forgot and threw my glove away)trying to find my notes before i started this.

[Dustdevil]

Where do you keep your info for the report to the ER nurse? Do you write everything on that strip of tape? (DOB, allergies, meds - can be a lot sometimes, list of multiple signs/symptoms) Or just keep it in your head?

Age, allergies, PMH and meds I write down with vitals on the tape strip. Signs and symptoms, I memorise. If you are doing a methodical history and physical exam (as opposed to haphazardly), memorisation is easy. We obviously don't bill anybody out here, so I don't have to get insurance info and such. But back in the world, I get that info and other demographic info at the hospital as the patient gives it to the admissions clerk. Why make the poor old lady answer the same asinine questions twice?

Of course, it is different in the IFT world, I guess. You are sitting and staring at the patient, doing nothing for half an hour. You might as well be doing the paperwork so you can get clear faster. Besides, you're not usually getting bloody on an IFT or anything. More than half the time, you never even touch the patient.

[JPINFV]

More than half the time, you never even touch the patient.

Depends... (damn 0.4 mile discharges... I still think they should just build a giant pneumatic patient tube system a la Futurama.