VetRelief Forum

[Dr Tenney]

We would appreciate your recommendations for compiling instruments, supplies and other belongings to be included into a relief vet kit.
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Roger Tenney, DVM
Site Administrator
**VetRelief Forum

[brenwood]

My "kit" consists of my brain and my hands. Everything else usually gets lost at the clinic. I need to return to several clinics to pick up my things as it is. They never seem to be willing to send them back to me. I especially would like to get my copy of Plumb back. I can adapt to almost any circumstances, however, the thing I need most often is surgery gloves in my size. I keep telling myself to carry those along. Anything left lying unusued out of my sight gets picked up by a staff member and put somewhere never to be seen again. I cannot afford to equip all the clinics. There have been plenty of times I wanted my favorite drugs, however, there is no way to be reimbursed for it and if the client returns for more, it makes the practice owner look bad when he has no idea what is being requested. If the drug is that important, then I can script it out. I never work at clinics again whose equipment or drug inventory are below minimal.

[Guest]

I have given this some thought and dont' have any good ideas for your relief kit. Actually unless they brought their own surgical equipment, anesthesia machine, drugs, supplies, phone system, xray machine, xray processor, fax machine and lab account I don't know if they would be truly independent contractors

[kristi]

I have purchased a personal digital assistant (a sony clie) and downloaded plumbs veterinary drugbook and the 5 min. consult, a pdr, and other various programs from animldr.com. I got tired of hauling all my textbooks around (because a lot of clinics don't have references I'm used to). I have entered various emergency doses and behavioral references. It's the best assistant I've found. It's small, so I keep it in my labcoat pocket and don't lose it.

[guest2]

favorite texts, stethescope, all well labeled; well kept, personalized lab coats, watch with second hand, pocket calculator. I also carry but never use- multitool with wire cutters and flat nosed pliers, pen light, suture scissors; I have my own custom prescription pads with space for the current clinic's name and my own business name. I have a plentiful supply of business cards, my invoice pad- I prefer the 2 page carbonless style, cellphone, date book; My address book contains numbers for sate and local regulatory contacts, referral or specialists hospitals, regional vets, techs and other professional contacts.
I have considered a pda to reduce my bag size. I have occasionally needed a thermometer- which I purchased and left at that clinic. I have desired my own size of gloves- but traveling with sterile gloves in extremes of temperature and with the rough care of constant transport is not practical or safe.
I would recommend radiation monitoring badges- I have yet to find an economical source.
I find further supplies to be redundant and wasteful for general small animal practice.

[Pegasus]

I carry a bunch of favourite texts in a tote in my car; I'm amazed at what some clinics don't have or how outdated some libraries are. Then I have a kit bag with my stethoscope, my name tag, my surgury cap, a couple of pens and a calculator, a digital thermometer (I won't use glass or otic), a tube of Emla cream, a spare watch with second hand, and my little black book.

My little black book was a book I started compiling in anesthesia class in second year. Since then I've winnowed out what I don't use (large animal stuff) and added notes and recipes for things I do use. Most of what I use these days are things like the fluid rate chart, a map for local anesthesia for declaws, a protocol for CRI treatment for DKA patients, and a smattering of little things (like how many mLs in a teaspoon, which I keep forgetting).

They're things mostly for my own convenience, not really to make up for deficiencies in the clinic (except the library). I've thought about carrying my own kochlers for declaws, but I haven't yet. I try to limit what I've got so I don't need to worry about the costs.

[darkslatebluemoon]

I think it is essential to have a kit, but most importantly you should be mentally and spiritually ready.