Review: ClearCollar Adjustable Cervical Collar

-" In my opinion this is the most user friendly collar that I have had the privilege to use. " Reviewer, Kelly Lamkin

About our reviewer, Kelly Lamkin: I have been in EMS for 21+ years. During that time I have been a medic for 17 years and I have worked as a career fire/medic for 5 years. While with the fire department I achieved the level of lieutenant. Currently I working as a chase medic in both Lancaster and Chester Counties (PA). I love prehospital medicine and all that goes along with it except the crazy long hours. For that reason I have decided to go back to school and I will be finishing my RN by the end of 2013. 

Over my career I have used many different types of C-collars. The Clear Collar is by far the most versatile collar I have used thus far. This collar gives you 9 different height levels. Everyone has had that obese, no neck patient, but this collar has enough height settings so that you are able to use this collar on the most difficult of patients.

The collar is clear so you are able to see everything that is under the collar without having to remove the collar. The Clear Collar has a soft, but durable, plastic that goes around all the edges. This plastic grips the skin so the collar doesn't slide around. The back of the collar has cutouts vs. being a solid. What this does is add comfort to the patient by allowing a little bit of flexibility.

The other nice feature of this collar are the hooks on the side so you can hook the oxygen tubing to it. I have shown this collar to several of my fellow providers and they have all had positive comments about it. They agree with me that the 9 height levels will be helpful with applying cervical stabilization to a more diverse group of patients. In my opinion this is the most user friendly collar that I have had the privilege to use. 

***

Get your ClearCollar: Adjustable Cervical Collar, today.

Review: SemperCare Tender Touch Nitrile Exam Gloves

About our reviewer, Kelly Lamkin: I have been in EMS for 21+ years. During that time I have been a medic for 17 years and I have worked as a career fire/medic for 5 years. While with the fire department I achieved the level of lieutenant. Currently I working as a chase medic in both Lancaster and Chester Counties (PA). I love prehospital medicine and all that goes along with it except the crazy long hours. For that reason I have decided to go back to school and I will be finishing my RN by the end of 2013. 

"Compared to other Nitrile gloves I have used in the past, the SemperCare Tender Touch Nitrile Exam Gloves are very comfortable and provide the needed sensitivity for patient exams. However, they are not suited for the rugged environment of pre-hospital emergency medical services. I noticed that on multiple occasions I would look down and see a tear in the glove. I believe they are best suited hospital and doctors office environments."

We agree that these gloves are doctors-office-type gloves, with a name like "Tender Touch". Here are some more specific details.

Sempermed has delivered the right combination of fit, feel, tactile sensitivity, strength and value in a latex-free exam glove. With Tender Touch^® gloves, you can feel a baby's pulse, experience comfort, and have the strength and protection you need. Your hands will feel safe and secure when working with even the most delicate items.

• Excellent barrier and chemical resistance
• Manufactured without natural rubber
• Packing configuration provides 200 gloves per box
• Tested for use with chemotherapy drugs
• Powder free

Buy them in a box or a case for the office, today!

On Scene Review: SemperForce Nitrile Exam Gloves

About our reviewer, Kelly Lamkin: I have been in EMS for 21+ years. During that time I have been a medic for 17 years and I have worked as a career fire/medic for 5 years. While with the fire department I achieved the level of lieutenant. Currently I working as a chase medic in both Lancaster and Chester Counties (PA). I love prehospital medicine and all that goes along with it except the crazy long hours. For that reason I have decided to go back to school and I will be finishing my RN by the end of 2013. 

***

I have used various types of gloves through out my 17 year Paramedic career. These SemperForce Nitrile Exam Gloves provided great durability in the various environments of emergency medicine, yet they provide enough sensitivity to feel the patient pulse. 

The gloves are very sleek and form fitting to my hands and they do not leave a nasty plastic odor on your hands at the end of the call. The only downside to the black color is you can not tell what type or color of fluid is on your gloves unless you have a towel near by to wipe off your gloves (i.e. blood vs. sweat).

Overall, the gloves worked well, but black would not be my color preference. 

Get your own SemperForce Nitrile Exam Gloves here. 

On Scene Review: Truphatek Truelite Laryngeal Scope

About our Reviewer: I’m Scot A. Kreger PHRN. I started in EMS in 1984 as an Army Medic stationed at Ft. Ritchie, Md. While serving at Ft. Ritchie I obtained my Emergency Medical Technician.  Shortly after my discharge from the Army 1987 I became a Paramedic . In 2004 I graduated from Delaware County Community College with my Nursing Degree and started working at Brandywine Hospital. After 2 years of working in the Emergency Department I transferred to Medic 93 where I currently work for BWH.  So all told I have 30 years Emergency Medical Service experience. 

I got the chance recently to try out a disposable Laryngeal Scope: The Truphatek Truelite Disposable LED Laryngeal Scope. I have to say I was a little skeptical about it at first, partly due to its size, but in the end I was pleasantly surprised.

Yes the handle is small, but I feel most anyone will have no trouble holding the handle and will even find it comfortable and easy to use. The blade I used was a MAC 4, and they are permanently attached, had a bright LED bulb, which really lights up the mouth and throat giving you a bright and clear view of the vocal cords.

I feel The Truphatek Truelite would be an asset to both Tactical Team members due to its small size and how it folds up nice and small for easy storage. It would also be an asset to the Medic who uses it on a daily basis. Besides being easy to hold and work with, it is also easy on your wallet and you can't beat that!

For more details check out The Truphatek Truelite Laryngeal Scope on our site.

On Scene Review: StatPacks: G1 Bolus Medication Pack

About our Reviewer: I’m Scot A. Kreger PHRN. I started in EMS in 1984 as an Army Medic stationed at Ft. Ritchie, Md. While serving at Ft. Ritchie I obtained my Emergency Medical Technician.  Shortly after my discharge from the Army 1987 I became a Paramedic . In 2004 I graduated from Delaware County Community College with my Nursing Degree and started working at Brandywine Hospital. After 2 years of working in the Emergency Department I transferred to Medic 93 where I currently work for BWH.  So all told I have 30 years Emergency Medical Service experience. 

StatPacks. That name means quality and respect for EMS gear for either the BLS provider or the ALS provider. I’ve had the chance over the last few months to use and review an ALS version of this great medication pack. This quality is second to none! It’s well built, and tough and for that I give it high marks and recommend it for your use.

You can either carry it using the canvas handle at the top or sling it over your shoulder like a backpack.

However, once I opened up the pack, I did have a small problem. I don’t really feel it was laid out well for all the medications an ALS provider uses. I felt the clear see-though slots that the medication vials go into needed to be larger, and possibly staggered. There is also a problem with the prefilled medications like Epi, D50 and Lidocaine. I found there was no place to secure them in the bag unless you take them out of their boxes. The same is true with IV solutions.

Now, I set my Statpak up to work as both a First-In bag with my ALS medications and an Airway Bag. I had trouble with the elastic loops for the ET Tubes, as they needed to be just a little larger. I could only carry 1 tube (still in it’s wrapper) per loop. I also had no place in the bag to secure the BVM, or the mechanical ET Tube holding device. Now, there is an area that is large enough for all this plus other O2 supplies, I just wished it had a way to secure that equipment in place.

I did not find weight to be a problem with the medication pack. and I found it to be easier to handle and carry than some other ALS and BLS versions. The thing I loved was that it had plenty of room, it just needed to be laid out better with a few of the other additions I noted.

To check out the StatPacks on our website, click here.

According to StatPacks, " StatPacks modular equipment bags can be pre-loaded to accommodate different situations. Keep pre-packed modules ready to meet specific ALS requirements…and others for Basic Life Support. Then you can grab and install only the gear you need for each call. It’s a system that provides a place for everything and puts everything in its place—for superior organization, faster reaction, and unprecedented accessibility at the scene. Durable mesh and clear urethane windows, in the both primary pack and removable modules, let you identify contents at a glance. Click, zip, roll—every thing is at your fingertips. StatPacks simply make you faster, and better, at what you do."

On Scene Review: Taylor Healthcare Titan Bariatric Mover

About our Reviewer: I’m Scot A. Kreger PHRN. I started in EMS in 1984 as an Army Medic stationed at Ft. Ritchie, Md. While serving at Ft. Ritchie I obtained my Emergency Medical Technician.  Shortly after my discharge from the Army 1987 I became a Paramedic . In 2004 I graduated from Delaware County Community College with my Nursing Degree and started working at Brandywine Hospital. After 2 years of working in the Emergency Department I transferred to Medic 93 where I currently work for BWH.  So all told I have 30 years Emergency Medical Service experience. 

Are you looking for an affordable, heavy duty, durable mega lifter? Something that can withstand the rigors of either everyday use or something that can be folded up and stored for weeks but is dependable when you need it? Then you’ve got to try the Taylor Titan Soft Stretcher.

I’ve used it on several bariatric patients, either to help lift them up from the floor to a bed so we could sit them up, or as a transfer sheet. You just have to have enough manpower to grab the canvas handles and pull or lift the patient from one stretcher to the other.

When I was finished it is easy to clean, and I used a couple of cleansing wipes from the hospital, then folded it back up and was ready for the next use. It has enough handles and places to grab that 8 to 12 men can grab hold of it and move a bariatric patient without hurting themselves, the patient or worrying about the Titan Soft Stretcher falling apart.

If you’re worried about storing the Taylor Titan, don't! It folds up and is soft enough to store just about anywhere on your ambulance. Of course there is one drawback, and that is it can be tough getting it squeezed back into the carrying case that's included after use.

Overall, the Taylor Titan Soft Stretcher is one I would recommend.

To get your own or read more details, click here.

On Scene Review: Littman 3100 Electronic Stethoscope

About our Reviewer: I’m Scot A. Kreger PHRN. I started in EMS in 1984 as an Army Medic stationed at Ft. Ritchie, Md. While serving at Ft. Ritchie I obtained my Emergency Medical Technician.  Shortly after my discharge from the Army 1987 I became a Paramedic . In 2004 I graduated from Delaware County Community College with my Nursing Degree and started working at Brandywine Hospital. After 2 years of working in the Emergency Department I transferred to Medic 93 where I currently work for BWH.  So all told I have 30 years Emergency Medical Service experience. 

-----

The Littmann 3100 Electronic Stethoscope is another in a line of superior Littmann Stethoscopes. Its weight is comparable to the Littmann Cardiology series of Stethoscopes while also maintaining the quality that Littmann is known for.  I mention the weight because when you look at it, you’ll notice that the end with the bell is bigger than on any other Littmann, this is because of the battery used in the 3100. A small AA battery is all that you need to increase the lung sounds and heart sounds you’re listening to, and the battery life should last you at least a year if not longer, this all depends on how often you use the stethoscope.  

A small but easy to read digital display shows you your volume level, which bell your using, and while taking a blood pressure or listening to heart sounds the patients pulse rate.  The 3100 features ambient noise reduction technology that is supposed to decrease the ambient noise heard while in the back of an ambulance. The only drawback to this technology is, a provider must remember not to try and listen to heart or lung sounds through a patients shirt or clothing. I’ve found on the many patients I’ve used this stethoscope on that it is best to apply the stethoscope directly to the patients skin.

Some of the setup features are: volume, the backlight, and the auto off feature. 

I’d recommend this stethoscope to experienced providers who are looking for that little extra edge in assessing and diagnosing patients in the field. The price for this stethoscope is comparable to the other Littmann Stethoscopes, and the craftsmanship and warranty are the same as you would expect from Littmann.

If you’re looking for a long lasting good stethoscope, I’d recommend the Littmann3100 Electronic Stethoscope, with the features it has, it is worth the money you’ll spend, and you’ll hear heart and lung sounds like you’ve never heard them before.

----

Shop Littmann Stethoscopes, today!

*all reviews are the honest opinion of our reviewers!