3 Dec 2015

what's in my bag #17: clinical placement edition

The last time I did a what's in my bag whilst on placement was a year ago and a fair bit has changed since.

Contents (top left clockwise): some cash, a snack, a small A6 Iconic notebook, a Bkr bottle (more on this soon!), iPhone, stethoscope, Caudalie lip balm, mints, a cheap black gel pen and my Lamy Safari.
This year, I'm on placement for 40 weeks in total (with the rest made up of lecture weeks or exams). I'm really feeling like medschool has ramped up a level: gone are the half days where we have lectures in the morning and an afternoon off or vice versa! Though I guess this is just preparation for those twelve hour days (or more) that I'll be working in the future (are such long hours ever safe? That's a debate for another time.).

Another thing I've done this year is adjust my bag on the pretence that I won't be leaving the ward for at least four hours hence the presence of a snack (and also because, long ward rounds). This ensures that I don't hit the floor due to a low blood sugar and that I also have something to look forward to at the end!

I try and ensure that I wear clothes with pockets (why do so few dresses and skirts have pockets?! Women need them too!). These pockets are usually crammed with more equipment such as a pen torch, some neurotips, cotton wool, medical tape and another pen or two. I've already stopped carrying the Oxford Handbook around on a daily basis (it still comes with me to clinic though!) due to its weight and the lack of space available for it in the tiny bag.

If you do a course where you're on placements, what do you carry around with you?

6 comments

  1. As a student I used to carry a little crossbody bag with my phone, wallet and a pen. I wore my stethoscope around my neck and carried an A5 notebook with me. Everything else was left in my locker. When I became an intern I ditched the notebook and the crossbody bag also held my patient list and had my pager clipped onto it. Lack of pockets in women's clothes suck! I had to explain to my (male) supervisor that that's why all the female interns are wearing little crossbody bags on the wards!

    Long days are unfortunately inevitable and they will suck! My longest were 16 hour days as an intern (start ward rounds for surgery at 7am, finish at 5pm then work rostered overtime covering the wards until 11pm). You have to be really aware that you'll get tired as you get further into the shift and constantly check with yourself "am I making a safe decision?".

    My husband is a surgical registrar and for him 12 hour days are the norm (the worst he's had so far was a weekend where he worked both Saturday and Sunday and was on call overnight, he ended up getting about 4 hours sleep over 48 hours, which isn't safe no matter how you try to justify it...) This is why I have chosen to specialise in public health and drug and alcohol!

    Since he started working as a registrar, I've been giving hubby muesli or fruit and nut bars to take to work - he can carry them in the pocket of his scrubs and it's an easy and quick 250 calories that might be the only food he gets all day.

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    1. My cross body bag has been a lifesaver on the wards so far. It holds everything I need :) I'm getting used to long days now - not saying I enjoy them or that I'm an old pro - but they are definitely something that I'm starting to adjust to.

      You've highlighted so many points regarding safe medical practice that I wish the government here would understand that overworked and overtired doctors don't make good patient decisions! x

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  2. I'm stoked to hear more about the Bkr bottle !!! Thanks for this wonderful post!

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    1. Coming soon! Not sure when yet as I don't finish for Christmas until Friday but soon! x

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  3. I carry everything in the big pockets of our white coats, so I don't need any pockets on my clothes. Do you guys were white coats regularly for wards?

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    1. No white coats here in the UK due to infection control! Hence the constant hunt for clothes with pockets haha x

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