Logistics of carrying books,pda, etc on psych ward

[psych7711]

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Hey everyone,

This is probably a silly question, but how do psych residents carry books, pda, stethoscope, reflex hammer, etc around on the psych floors without wearing a white coat?

I understand that after the first year, I probably won't need to carry around as much, but as an intern I don't feel prepared to just walk around with a pen yet. When we do admissions, we obviously have to perform a physical exam which means at least carrying a steth. and reflex hammer, pen light, etc.

Do residents ever carry small tote bags? I've seen neurology residents carry bags and that is in addition to having a white coat.

Maybe I could carry a huge zipped interview folder? I want to try to be organized, how do you psych residents stay organized? Notecards? folders?

Thanks

 

[Chrismander]

Hey everyone,

This is probably a silly question, but how do psych residents carry books, pda, stethoscope, reflex hammer, etc around on the psych floors without wearing a white coat?

I understand that after the first year, I probably won't need to carry around as much, but as an intern I don't feel prepared to just walk around with a pen yet. When we do admissions, we obviously have to perform a physical exam which means at least carrying a steth. and reflex hammer, pen light, etc.

Do residents ever carry small tote bags? I've seen neurology residents carry bags and that is in addition to having a white coat.

Maybe I could carry a huge zipped interview folder? I want to try to be organized, how do you psych residents stay organized? Notecards? folders?

Thanks

Two words: Cargo Pants.

http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/category.do?cid=5211

 

[Doc Samson]

Hey everyone,

This is probably a silly question, but how do psych residents carry books, pda, stethoscope, reflex hammer, etc around on the psych floors without wearing a white coat?

I understand that after the first year, I probably won't need to carry around as much, but as an intern I don't feel prepared to just walk around with a pen yet. When we do admissions, we obviously have to perform a physical exam which means at least carrying a steth. and reflex hammer, pen light, etc.

Do residents ever carry small tote bags? I've seen neurology residents carry bags and that is in addition to having a white coat.

Maybe I could carry a huge zipped interview folder? I want to try to be organized, how do you psych residents stay organized? Notecards? folders?

Thanks

There's always the option of wearing a white coat - I do.

 

[Doc Samson]

... or there's always this:

http://www.eholster.com/eholsters1.html

 

[OldPsychDoc]

... or there's always this:

http://www.eholster.com/eholsters1.html

Do NOT wear outside in thunderstorm!

(That's really you in that picture, isn't it, Dr. S?)

 

[blabbyblab]

My senior resident while I was on service wore a fanny pack. Amazingly he pulled it off.

 

[Doc Samson]

Do NOT wear outside in thunderstorm!

(That's really you in that picture, isn't it, Dr. S?)

Yup... I go for double pleated pants and polyester ties in a BIG way.

 

[PeeWee137]

My senior resident while I was on service wore a fanny pack. Amazingly he pulled it off.

you can get a nice gucci "fanny pack" so you dont look like a tourist 🙂 and when your fanny pack is that expensive, it is then called a waist pouch. kangaroo > tourist 😛

 

[psych7711]

Doc S....do you think the white coat is intimidating to patients? Maybe not, but at my medical school white coats were frowned upon on the psych floors...because you stand out too much...especially in the state hospital.

What about a large zipped binder or a tote bag...or would this be more awkward than the coat?

If none of the other residents wear their coats, wouldn't it be odd if I did?

 

[Doc Samson]

Doc S....do you think the white coat is intimidating to patients? Maybe not, but at my medical school white coats were frowned upon on the psych floors...because you stand out too much...especially in the state hospital.

What about a large zipped binder or a tote bag...or would this be more awkward than the coat?

If none of the other residents wear their coats, wouldn't it be odd if I did?

The white coat thing is pretty culturally influenced based on the hospital you're at. It ranges from mandatory to completely forbidden. Admittedly, as a consult doc, most of my time is spent on the medical floors where the white coat fits in better and helps to remind my non-psychiatry colleagues that I'm a doctor too. I've heard a lot of the arugments vis-a-vis the wearing or not wearing of a coat as a psychiatrist in general. The one that struck home for me is dynamically based - essentially pts are in the hospital because they have a super ego deficit and need external structure to contain them. The white coat is a useful marker of that external structure and can help them feel held in part of a defined system. To my mind a white coat makes you no more of an identifiable "target" than standard med student attire and/or a clipboard. There's no point in trying to downplay the differences between patients and treaters, those differences are the foundations of treatment.

 

[GATORANALYST]

Most of the hospitals I rotated on including my future residency all had treatment rooms that were equipped with everything you need to perform a physical exam. You can always keep your stuff in your bag in the office, that is usually locked, and when you do an admission you can go get it. Its not like your going to have to pull out your gadgets everytime you sit with a patient on a psych unit.

Psych resident that insist on wearing there coats, unless on CL or Medicine, are hillarious....

 

[RaistlinMajere]

Here's what I would do without a white coat.

Books: buy 1 informative pocket psych book and keep it in front pocket of dress shirt
Stethoscope: around my neck
Reflex hammer: use my stethoscope (i.e., short on space so leave it at home)
PDA: keep in pants pocket

I would not carry a bag because I would hate being encumbered with it.

 

[billypilgrim37]

Reflex hammer: use my stethoscope

😡 PET PEEVE #37452: PERFORMING A FAKE REFLEX EXAM WITH A STETHOSCOPE HEAD OR FINGERS!!! 😡

Not really, but I'm on neuro consults right now, so I gotta pretend, right 😉

I like my big Babinksi hanging out of my coat pocket, falling out constantly, the head coming lose and making me track back through the ward to find it. And I love carrying around a weapon my patients could legimitately use to bash my skull in 😍

 

[psychattack]

I always have a problem with this as a female--we almost never have any pockets that could fit anything! I usually leave everything in a bag in the residents room (or equivalent) and use it PRN.

 

[BabyPsychDoc]

Stethoscope: around my neck

We are banned from wearing stethoscopes like that on a psych ward. Safety issues. If you need to use it, you invite the patient to a treatment room, invite a nurse as a chaperone and examine the patient there and then. And you do not even need a stethoscope, as a couple are provided in the said room for general use. (I always bring mine, though, as I like my Littmann and it is more hygienic).

 

[RaistlinMajere]

We are banned from wearing stethoscopes like that on a psych ward. Safety issues. If you need to use it, you invite the patient to a treatment room, invite a nurse as a chaperone and examine the patient there and then. And you do not even need a stethoscope, as a couple are provided in the said room for general use. (I always bring mine, though, as I like my Littmann and it is more hygienic).

Even better, leave the stethoscope at home or in a treatment room!

 

[bama]

When out and about in the hospital, I like the clipboards with compartments for carrying items. You'll be surprised the amount you can fit in those when required. Otherwise, just my pockets (I'm a big guy with big pockets, so it works for me🙂).