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laryngoscope blades


asy

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What do I do to put a dirty laryngoscope out? Well, I'm glad you asked.

In the field I usually put it in a glove. Then I go back to the station. From there:

1. Retrieve two sets of keys from the lieutenant.

2. Get a biohazard bag, a repair tag, and the repair tag log out from the office.

3. Put the dirty laryngoscope blade into the biohazzard bag.

4. Open up door for equipment room, and then locker with respective key rings.

5. Take out the equipment log book and a new laryngoscope blade.

6. Make appropriate changes to equipment log.

7. Fill out all appropriate lines on repair tag

8. Record repair tag number in equipment log book.

9. Remove first too copies of repair tag, put them in repair tag book

10. Update repair tag book

11. Put remaining copy of repair tag into biohazard bag with dirty blade.

12. Unlock repair locker, put blade, bag, and tag into locker, relock locker.

13. Have lieutenant sign repair book and spare equipment book

14. Return equipment book to equipment locker

15. Relock locker and room

16. Put new blade back into bag.

Mix the bureaucracy of municipal government with the bureaucracy of medicine, and it will take you too 17 steps to replace a laryngoscope blade. Don't even ask what I have to do when I give narcotics.

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Recent post:::

Good idea MedicDude but alas, too late. Someone already has the patent.

Scope cover patent

Also found an article on this subject.

PubMed Article

Pubmed Article opens a whole new can of worms here in relationship to this thread.

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We used to use some stuff called Wavacide. You knocked the big chunks off with this nasty little brush, rinsed the blade, then put in the 'cide for 20 minutes. Now, there some kind of spray on stuff. No more brush. Now you use your gloved hand and water to "de-chunk", rinse well, and spray on for 5 to 20 minutes (depending on how clean you feel today).

As for the condom idea:

Top excuses for not using a condom!

1. Trust me baby, I'm clean.

2. If you loved me, you'd let me stick it in without one.

3 What, you don't trust me?

4. I only use Lamb Skin.

5. You'd like it better "all natural".

And finally...

I can't feel anything with it on!

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Asy,

All kidding aside, I can see where that would be a very useful trick for mass-casualty scenes.

Would finger cots work? You could also get those in non-latex, and possibly cheaper. And without the ummmm, :| various other connotations.

Be safe, and best of luck to you and your patients.

neal

Mass casualty? I'm sorry to be the critic but correct me if I'm wrong...are you not going to black tag the patients who are not breathing? I believe that's standard procedure in using S.T.A.R.T triage.

As for the use of condoms, not really a bad idea but I believe someone put it quite simply somewhere in this thread about blocking your view and decreasing your light. My question is why not just use disposable blades? They don't expire like rubbers do.

And thanks to everyone who is displaying their inner comedian. I just didn't have the heart to screw with the thread as the original poster asked not to, but thanks to those who did. It was a good laugh.

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are you not going to black tag the patients who are not breathing?

Well, you are mostly right for here in the US. Black tag the non-breathers at the primary triage.

However, you may still wind up doing aggressive airway management during the secondary triage of red or yellow tagged pts who begin to decline in condition either on scene or during transport.

The poster, Asy, lists her location as Israel, so I do not know her protocols.

Additionally, Asy stated that this was used at "respected facilities" which I took to mean something like a trauma center dealing with a mass influx of pts from a terrorist attack/missile strike.

Be Safe,

neal

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Good point, but once you have your treatment areas set up, you should have enough help there so you wouldn't have to use the same blade multiple times...theoretically that is. I work in a rather large system so that if we did have a big event we'd have our mass casuality unit, multiple other ems units and more than likely our logistics staff present at some time during the event. I know not every system has that available to them but that's how we do it here.

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Good point, but once you have your treatment areas set up, you should have enough help there so you wouldn't have to use the same blade multiple times...theoretically that is. I work in a rather large system so that if we did have a big event we'd have our mass casuality unit, multiple other ems units and more than likely our logistics staff present at some time during the event. I know not every system has that available to them but that's how we do it here.

Your operating under the assumption that Mr. Murphy and his pal the fickled finger will go along with your carefully laid plans. In these atypical situations one needs to adapt, iprovise, and overcome! Don't count on your plans to go how you expect, and don't expect resources that are 'suppossed to be, told to maybe, or will be, available.' For sure Ringling Bros, Barnun & Bailey will be making an appearance. Food for FUBAR situation thought,

Out Here,

ACE844

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Whoa! Where was the "attack"?

Has any mass casualty incident ever gone as planned?

You and your system can have as many pieces of equipment as you want, and the people managing the incident can be doing everything right, and things will still have to be improvised.

System knowledge or not, the point is you can't prepare for every eventuality.

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