Wearing a vest under the coats for pockets

[lovebes]

I always carry a 7" tablet (Nexus 7) that has alot of textbooks and references with me while I round.
Then there's the stethoscope, pack of index cards in a clip, pens..
All this done with two larges pockets and one breast pocket.
But what if you want to carry a clipboard under the lab coat?

This got me thinking, and I wonder if anyone else has also thought of this issue.
Why do we have to limit ourselves to a long flaunting piece of white garment with long sleeves?
If we think pragmatically, a clinically functioning clothes for medical students in "the field"
should have these qualities:

• Multisize pockets and Multipurpose holders (holders. not cloth lines that pens clip on. Think 'Grid-It' )
• Color should be white because then we know when it gets dirty
• Sleeves should be either cut off or have smaller openings so it won't get dirtied up/transmit anything
• Velcro pads - you can stick on more pockets
• Velcro sleeves - more for EMT personnel. Rapid utilization purposes

I guess a version 0.1 of this idea is to wear something like this or this under the lab coat.

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[MerickManual]

I am so glad I wasn't drinking anything when I clicked on your links.

ARE YOU SERIOUS MAN?! Who needs all that junk?! My neck and back are killing me enough at the end of the day.

 

[lovebes]

Hehe, just don't want to be limited by only 3 pockets. Just a thought.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Carry less stuff. Just a thought.

 

[lovebes]

I'm all for minimalist approach, but there are days when I wish for more pockets.

 

[alpinism]

Lol.

Your smart phone, a small pocket reference guide, a few notecards to write down pt info, and a stethoscope.

That's all you need.

If you need to look up something important just find the nearest computer workstation.

 

[MedicineMike]

Lol.

Your smart phone, a small pocket reference guide, a few notecards to write down pt info, and a stethoscope.

That's all you need.

If you need to look up something important just find the nearest computer workstation.

Couldn't agree more.

Steth, field notes, pens. Then my other pocket is devoted to gum/Chapstick.

 

[Kaustikos]

I've pretty much reduced all my clutter to zero after getting my note 8.0. Small tablet w/ stylus = I don't need paper, I don't need pocket reference books, I don't need blah blah blah. I carry a ****-ton of pens/highlighters. I still have to carry round reports for patients... EMR's aren't exactly compatible with tablets for personal use. But aside from that and my stethescope, I'm good. The best part - some scrub pant pockets are big enough to fit the tablet. So I can carry that with me in my pocket in the OR floor without a white coat.

You need to learn how to prioritize/organize. Especially if you have the nexus tablet. There's no reason to have pocket reference books.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Only time I felt like I was short on pockets was when I was in scrubs.

That being said, the inside of my white coat has two pockets (in the same location as the two outside lower pockets), so it wasn't really an issue.

Before you go about wearing velcro in the hospital (LOL), consider getting some additional pockets sewn into the inside of your white coat (if it doesn't have em already)

 

[Kaustikos]

Problem solved:

 

[neusu]

I just carry one of these around

 

[cabinbuilder]

I always carry a 7" tablet (Nexus 7) that has alot of textbooks and references with me while I round.
Then there's the stethoscope, pack of index cards in a clip, pens..
All this done with two larges pockets and one breast pocket.
But what if you want to carry a clipboard under the lab coat?

This got me thinking, and I wonder if anyone else has also thought of this issue.
Why do we have to limit ourselves to a long flaunting piece of white garment with long sleeves?
If we think pragmatically, a clinically functioning clothes for medical students in "the field"
should have these qualities:

• Multisize pockets and Multipurpose holders (holders. not cloth lines that pens clip on. Think 'Grid-It' )
• Color should be white because then we know when it gets dirty
• Sleeves should be either cut off or have smaller openings so it won't get dirtied up/transmit anything
• Velcro pads - you can stick on more pockets
• Velcro sleeves - more for EMT personnel. Rapid utilization purposes

I guess a version 0.1 of this idea is to wear something like this or this under the lab coat.

Seriously? After the first 12 hour shift you will be so sweaty and your back will be killing you and the ONLY thing on your mind will be finding the nearest DO to fix your back. Just don't do it.

 

[Taels]

I carry this thing around

 

[JJMrK]

Never really understood why people carry around so much stuff. Why do you need books, clipboards, a pack of cards, multiple pens, a tablet,etc to round on patients? IMO it's more about being obsessive than actually needing so much stuff.

 

[MerickManual]

Never really understood why people carry around so much stuff. Why do you need books, clipboards, a pack of cards, multiple pens, a tablet,etc to round on patients? IMO it's more about being obsessive than actually needing so much stuff.

I can understand the tablet, it lets you see updated labs or see imaging (especially if there isn't enough computers around the unit or it takes forever to log in). But I agree, way too much stuff...!

 

[evilbooyaa]

I can understand the tablet, it lets you see updated labs or see imaging (especially if there isn't enough computers around the unit or it takes forever to log in). But I agree, way too much stuff...!

I would be surprised if a student was allowed to access the EHR from his personal tablet.

 

[MerickManual]

I would be surprised if a student was allowed to access the EHR from his personal tablet.

Really? A lot of med students did at my base hospital. Never used it for an away rotation at different hospital systems, though.

 

[sakata8242]

It seems like the more I carry, the less I use. These days all I carry (if I'm even wearing the white coat) is stethoscope, Pocket Medicine, penlight, pen, and the list for the day. iPhone for micromedex. I have yet to really use my iPad, although I could access our EMR through it. The only issue with the iPad is that if I pull it out on rounds to look something up, I'm afraid someone (like my attending, who is glued to his own iPad during rounds anyway) will think I'm on FB instead.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Really? A lot of med students did at my base hospital. Never used it for an away rotation at different hospital systems, though.

Interesting. I've never heard of anyone from my school being allowed to access hospital EMR through their personal tablet (as a medical student). That goes for about 10-15 hospital systems in the north east.

 

[neusu]

Interesting. I've never heard of anyone from my school being allowed to access hospital EMR through their personal tablet (as a medical student). That goes for about 10-15 hospital systems in the north east.

If you access the hospital system through the password protected wireless or vpn in to the system it is quite easy.

 

[Mad Jack]

I always carry a 7" tablet (Nexus 7) that has alot of textbooks and references with me while I round.
Then there's the stethoscope, pack of index cards in a clip, pens..
All this done with two larges pockets and one breast pocket.
But what if you want to carry a clipboard under the lab coat?

This got me thinking, and I wonder if anyone else has also thought of this issue.
Why do we have to limit ourselves to a long flaunting piece of white garment with long sleeves?
If we think pragmatically, a clinically functioning clothes for medical students in "the field"
should have these qualities:

• Multisize pockets and Multipurpose holders (holders. not cloth lines that pens clip on. Think 'Grid-It' )
• Color should be white because then we know when it gets dirty
• Sleeves should be either cut off or have smaller openings so it won't get dirtied up/transmit anything
• Velcro pads - you can stick on more pockets
• Velcro sleeves - more for EMT personnel. Rapid utilization purposes

I guess a version 0.1 of this idea is to wear something like this or this under the lab coat.

Definitely go with the high visibility vest. Aside from being functional, it is an epic fashion statement. I'd also invest in some of those blinking lights that bicyclists wear so that people can see you as you're running down the halls from emergency to emergency, TV style.

You really don't need all that crap. I can fit a 7" tablet in my Dickies cargo pocket if I need to (I really only do that during slow shifts when I feel like reading) but I would imagine a physician could toss it in their lab coat. A small notepad (3x4" or so), a pen, a stethoscope, and a survival guide can easily fit between your scrubs/pants/lab coat. I can't imagine you'd need more than that. You can use the tablet to access the online medical library and other resources at my hospital, so it's kind of superfluous to have anything else.

 

[Mad Jack]

I just carry one of these around

All I can think when I see one of those things is Dr. Henry Killinger's Magic Murder Bag:

 

[neusu]

All I can think when I see one of those things is Dr. Henry Killinger's Magic Murder Bag:

Interesting.

My picture is the "doctor bag" used by doctors for roughly 100 years. It held the necessities to make a diagnosis, and possibly treatment, during a house-call. My father gave me my great-great-grandfather's doctor bag at my white coat ceremony.

Your picture is a cartoon character on a little known series.

Oh, how times have changed.

 

[Mad Jack]

Interesting.

My picture is the "doctor bag" used by doctors for roughly 100 years. It held the necessities to make a diagnosis, and possibly treatment, during a house-call. My father gave me my great-great-grandfather's doctor bag at my white coat ceremony.

Your picture is a cartoon character on a little known series.

Oh, how times have changed.

I know it's a doctor bag, and I know what is in them and what they were for. But they're so anachronistic in a post-house call age that these days you're more likely to see a murder bag (typical crime scene evidence kit, which are actually repurposed doctor's bags) than an actual doctor's bag.

My personal association as to which specific murder bag is just a quasi-in joke for anyone that watches TVB.

 

[Kaustikos]

It seems like the more I carry, the less I use. These days all I carry (if I'm even wearing the white coat) is stethoscope, Pocket Medicine, penlight, pen, and the list for the day. iPhone for micromedex. I have yet to really use my iPad, although I could access our EMR through it. The only issue with the iPad is that if I pull it out on rounds to look something up, I'm afraid someone (like my attending, who is glued to his own iPad during rounds anyway) will think I'm on FB instead.

I've stopped carrying things atm. I have my tablet, some pens for residents/fellows/attendings, some tools for exams (steth/light) and that's about it. I don't even wear my whitecoat unless I have to. Some surgeons don't care, others do (which is fine). I don't use my tablet for EMR... it's too buggy and more inconvenient than I'd like. I prefer just printing out round reports and having that in front of me. The only drawback - surgery always rounds before the most recent labs are up for all patients. So you'll sometimes have to try to get that info on the fly. In the end - almost all the beds at hospitals have stethescopes/etc that I don't feel the need to use mine... I mean, unless I HAVE to/it's obvious.

 

[Venko]

This is cool. I'm happy the situation has changed from when we used to cram ten to fifteen small text books on pharm, shelf info, differentials etc into our white coats. The pockets kept stretching and we used to try and balance right and left. It was embarrassing and singled us out as the walking reference for the residents and as the weakest folks on the team.

Cool to see this change

 

[SouthSideSteve]

just get one of these:

 

[windog]

I always carry a 7" tablet (Nexus 7) that has alot of textbooks and references with me while I round.
Then there's the stethoscope, pack of index cards in a clip, pens..
All this done with two larges pockets and one breast pocket.
But what if you want to carry a clipboard under the lab coat?

This got me thinking, and I wonder if anyone else has also thought of this issue.
Why do we have to limit ourselves to a long flaunting piece of white garment with long sleeves?
If we think pragmatically, a clinically functioning clothes for medical students in "the field"
should have these qualities:

• Multisize pockets and Multipurpose holders (holders. not cloth lines that pens clip on. Think 'Grid-It' )
• Color should be white because then we know when it gets dirty
• Sleeves should be either cut off or have smaller openings so it won't get dirtied up/transmit anything
• Velcro pads - you can stick on more pockets
• Velcro sleeves - more for EMT personnel. Rapid utilization purposes

I guess a version 0.1 of this idea is to wear something like this or this under the lab coat.

Invent one.

 

[windog]

Or get a purse