What cards/references do you carry around with you?

Tarascon pharmacopoeia, IM/Crit Care, and EM reference, and a now outdated Sanford.

Oh, and a cheat sheet for the docs at my hospital that aren't "on call", but I can "call on"! (It's an Asian thing.)

Apollyon said:

Tarascon pharmacopoeia, IM/Crit Care, and EM reference, and a now outdated Sanford.

Oh, and a cheat sheet for the docs at my hospital that aren't "on call", but I can "call on"! (It's an Asian thing.)

Click to expand...

I'm Asian, and it doesn't make sense to me

Apollyon said:

Tarascon pharmacopoeia, IM/Crit Care, and EM reference, and a now outdated Sanford.

Oh, and a cheat sheet for the docs at my hospital that aren't "on call", but I can "call on"! (It's an Asian thing.)

Click to expand...

DrTroll said:

I'm Asian, and it doesn't make sense to me

Click to expand...

He's saying he carries around the numbers of docs he trusts that he can call to consult (under/over) the table. He has buddies who can bail him out and he carries a card so he can get ahold of them quickly (bypassing the hospital operator who will inevitably challenge trying to call someone who isn't on call) and get the info he needs, when he needs it.

Physio Doc 2 Be said:

He's saying he carries around the numbers of docs he trusts that he can call to consult (under/over) the table. He has buddies who can bail him out and he carries a card so he can get ahold of them quickly (bypassing the hospital operator who will inevitably challenge trying to call someone who isn't on call) and get the info he needs, when he needs it.

Click to expand...

When I started at this hospital, the medical director told me about docs in certain specialties - that you couldn't reach them, but then they would call and bitch why you aren't sending them any patients. ??? (She said this is an Asian thing - but these are Asian folks in a majority Asian city - Honolulu - no matter how many Asians in SF, LA, or NYC, they're nowhere near a majority.) So, as PD2B said, I have a list of guys not on the call list (as I have many services for whom we don't have an on-call doctor - when there is a call doc, of course, I use them), but I can call as needed. Neuro and uro are two of them.

Nice. I needed a uro tonight...

2.5 cm Penile Meatus Stone. Never seen that before... but I couldn't get it out, and it was rather in the way...

Just had to share the pain.
D

dchristismi said:

Nice. I needed a uro tonight...

2.5 cm Penile Meatus Stone. Never seen that before... but I couldn't get it out, and it was rather in the way...

Just had to share the pain.
D

Click to expand...

One of the last patients I had before I left SC had one - it was a bladder stone, so it was smooth, but had a nub on the side, lodging it in place. He looked like a rhino with this stone poking out of his whizzer. I just pried it out - boy howdy, it looked like it hurt, but he was happy when it was done!

I tried. It appeared to be a calcified bit of foley, long ignored, although the pt had several medical issues that interfered with its scheduled removal. I tried to grab the thing after lots of topical lido, but it wouldn't budge. Felt really bad for the guy...

And to get us back on track:
I carry:

1 pen
1 penlight
tube of chapstick
Stethoscope
Palm that I mostly use for pepid and EM rules (which someone here wrote, and needs to turn into an iphone app, so I can just switch completely over)
Piece of paper with patient list.

That's it. All electronic now. So nice. So freeing. No Coat for this doc.

We have a back room with some books and other references. I used to religiously carry my Sanford (outdated now as well) and the Tarascon EM book, but am trying to simplify. They're still in the EM stash though, so I have access if I need them.

Tarascon Pharmocopea
AA Maglite
Shears
1" pocket knife
Cric kit (dural hook and a 10 blade)
Broselow Tape
Reflex hammer
Hemostat
Tongue depressors
Gloves
0 silk x 2
14 g angiocaths x 2
iPhone with Epocrates and Medscape

In my bag I carry an assortment of crap including some stuff that we only seem to have at certain hospitals like the balloon nasal packs, word catheters, small alligator forceps, extra gum bougie, extra pens, etc.

I keep the following books in my bag:
Color Atlas of Derm
Sanford (not too out of date)

Oh, as for total carry, it's the books as above, reflex hammer, stethoscope, a Fenix penlight, and (honestly, seriously) about $8 in change (mostly quarters). I wear the white coat, but don't carry a doctor's bag. I describe it as my "purse" (except that I don't have gum). And 4 pens.

Thanks DocB,

I keep forgetting my Fitzpatrick's a home, now it's back in its true home -> the bag I take to work!

As for the pockets (no white coat):

EMRA airway card - lots o' useful stuff.
Peds reference card - had the original from when I was at U of A, but lost it, nice to see there's a new one updated in the ACEP bookstore and picked one up.
Penlight
Trauma shears
iPhone - Pepid, Epocrates, Tarascon, etc...wish Sanford got their act together and made an app

Oh yeah, my shears! They're red and blue - which drug rep is that? (Good work, that - it's really ingrained into me.)