A Locum's ScrapBook: Prepping 101

Editor’s Note:

Locums Tenens is defined as:

Locum tenens, roughly translated from Latin, means “to hold a place.” Locum tenens perfusionists fill in for other perfusionists on a temporary basis for a range of a few days to up to six months or more. When a healthcare employer faces temporary staffing shortages due to vacancies, illness, or other causes, they hire locum tenens perfusionist to fill those vacancies and maintain patient care quality.

The following series is forwarded to give people a rough idea of a different approach to our profession, with pluses, minuses, and the perspective of working in this capacity.

Enjoy 🙂

To view the entire series- click here: A Locum’s ScrapBook.

Frank

Prepping 101: What Do I Need to Bring?

By: An anonymous Locums

So I put together a few pieces at a time on a table (the “Launch pad”) a few days before actually heading out to a new clinical site. DO NOT wait until the last day, as most likely you will be leaving your family behind- and that is something that you need to be prepared to deal with- because in all actuality- you are doing it FOR THEM- and you have to leave them behind in order to accomplish it…

Basically the concept is to pack early and give yourself a couple of days to hang out with the Fam- (or friends and pets- whatever/whomever you are leaving behind).

Obviously the following are included:

Health and Hygiene products
Business attire
Clothes to “Chill” in
My favorite pillow
A sharp looking attache case
A leather portfolio for resume’s and credentials
A couple of pairs of different style OR “Hoofs” (shoes)
Items are separated into different cases or bags-
A Laptop
Cell phone
Drivers License, SSN card, maybe a passport.
Alarm clock
Your favorite things to do (I brought camera gear etc…)
Perfusion Swag Bag

The Swag Bag …

(Compliments of a prior Locums post from Nadia Azuero, CCP) Click image to read…

What’s In It ?

By Nadia Azuero, CCP

Brace yourself…..some of these you already use.

2 tubing clamps – have always come in handy, even though clamps are provided
A clicky pen – black fine point
A sharpie – black, and as crucial as a clamp
A tank key – also handy when least expected
Kleenex – ya know the travel packs? Got an actual nose bleed once, on pump of course; first case pumped at this hospital; came out of nowhere. Thanks Murphy.
A dry erase marker – most ORs have the board but protect the pens because they disappear. Voilá!
Cell phone case – for the communication piece.
A tape measure – those fabric ones (courtesy of Medtronic pre-Advamed); came in handy during my pediatric days when the kids height was a guesstimation. Not if it was my case!
Small set of Allen wrenches – I know, a stretch but I’ve had to use them more often than you think.
LED flashlight – used to be a small mag light but that was heavy! LED makes it possible now. More better.
Eye glasses repair kit – for my 4 eyes
Small vise grips – for all you guys that just have to tighten all those holders with the might of Hercules; I’ve got Vise!
And lastly! —- featured above, a small screw driver clipped into a retractable badge holder. – This is perhaps my trade mark. Makes the pak. I use it every case so it deserved an easy, efficient method for utility.

The Portable Office:

You will need a computer or access to one!

This is a huge priority. Credentialing is a potential barrier for transitioning into a new hospital, and there maybe a ton of forms and things that need to be signed, printed, scanned, and emailed.

As well, you will also be adhering to the the administrative standards and requirements from whoever hired you to be a locums (or if it is a self contracted position)- so be prepared to punch out some paperwork 🙂

My Office:

Lenovo LapTop
Charger
External CD drive
Universal file transfer cable
Wireless keyboard and mouse ($33 at Best Buy)
Wireless Scanner/Copier/Printer ($90 at Sam’s Club)
Extra printer cartridges ($55 at Sam’s Club)
Quality (Hammer Mill) printer paper
Envelopes
Folders and files for receipts)
2- 16 GB zip drives for file transfers.

I noticed I hated typing on my laptop- so trust me when I say it is well worth it to purchase the remote keyboard and mouse. It transforms the laptop into a desktop and increased my productivity immensely.

Maximizing Your Smart Phone

Things I use my I-Phone for:

Perfusion calulations (i-Pump)

Perfusion Calculator: (BSA, BMI, EBV, RCV, HCT on Pump, Heparin Dose, Protamine Dose, Cardiac Index, Flow Rates.
News, Articles, Video Presentations from Perfusion.COM.)

Videos are HTML5 for iPhone and iPad compatibility.

On the fly conversion for height and weight.

Searchable articles, news and videos.

Job feed and press release feed added.

Save calculation data for one hour.

Hospital security codes
Surgeon preferences
Prime constituents
Cardioplegia constituents
ECC setup pics
and… phone calls of course 🙂