Jon K. Hagen, RN, EMT-P; ThedaStar Flight Nurse
In the ThedaStar air medical helicopter, we have equipment that can save your life. Things like endotracheal tubes, laryngoscopes, a variety of medications, a cardiac monitor and a defibrillator.
But the most important thing of all, at least for the majority of our nurses, is in a small orange case in one of the drawers. It is labeled “For EMERGENCY use only” in big, black letters. Every day when we check our equipment, we take special attention to note that the case is there, its contents intact. We wouldn’t want to be without it when we really need it.
You might think something of such great importance is quite expensive, but that is not true. Although cheap, it is invaluable. I personally bought this item with my own money. Now, you may be wondering, what can be purchased at a store – a discount store, no less – that can be that important? Chances are, you may own one (or several) yourself. Several pair, to be precise.
The indispensable item is glasses. The pair in the orange case is 1.50 magnification, but they may be retired soon, in favor of some 1.75’s. Of out the 10 flight nurses on our staff, nine of us need “a little help” (and a bright light doesn’t hurt, either) for reading or to perform delicate tasks. Only our rookie has been spared – at least for now – this annoying process of aging. It has gotten to be somewhat of a joke, all of us with “readers” perched at the ends of our noses, peering either through them or over them, depending on where our attention is directed.
All of us carry our own pair, but in our line of work, it only made sense to have a spare set tucked away, in case of an emergency. Not an emergency regarding a patient – we do that all the time – but the crisis of forgetting or misplacing our “cheaters.”
Again the other day, as most days, I spent several minutes looking for my misplaced glasses. Another nurse found them for me, hanging off the front of my flight suit, one bow carefully tucked inside the pocket. When I put them there, I knew I’d be able to find them quickly, when I needed them. Right. Other times, I find them resting on top of my head. I remember I put them there when I scratch my head, now covered with more than a sprinkling of gray in my hair, trying to think of where I left them.
So much for aging gracefully. We like to think of it as a byproduct of experience.