EDC in the hospital?

I think most staff carry around a pair of EMT sheers. Those things will cut anything upto thin sheetmetal. If you need a knife a small box cutter or extend able knife would be my choice. I'd rather not bring a knife to a hospital to work. Personal preference.
 
actually, the hospitals around here (twin cities, minnesota) dont allow weapons at all...last time i was in the ER i had to put all belongings (including my gerber harsey ranger) in a bin so i could go through the metal detector....and then the security put my knife in a lock box with my name on it and would not let me have it back until i left the building! i was quite surprised....he was nice and all, just didnt think they would ban any and all weapons!
 
I'd never carry any knife that I could imagine getting me in any trouble. It's just not worth it. Either get a friendlier looking knife or just don't carry one.
 
I've been an ER nurse for several years and having dealt w/ many psych pts and violent criminals it's not a good idea to carry anything on you that may be taken and used against you. (I've had pts pull out their IVs and try to stab me w/ the plastic canula, try to pull needles out of the sharps container to use as weapons, etc).
I don't know what your role is in the hospital, but the maintenance crew gets away w/ multitools but don't pull out the blade in front of witnesses, most just use boxcutters. My hospital has a strict "No Weapons" policy and can fire anyone found w/ one. It's best to follow your hospital's policy to the letter, usually w/ time you find out what you can get away w/ : )
 
It depends on what they difine as weapons. I once installed network cabeling in offices at a maximum security prison. Everything was classified as a weapon. I could not leave a screw driver or even a pen unattended, and my tool box was watched by a guard. I could only take out a few tools at a time. Granted, that was an extreme case, but my point is different employers have different definitions of what constitutes a weapon. Perhaps all knives are banned, or maybe the hospital has a blade lenght restriction. I'd check with the human resources department to see what is tolerated. In this economy, it's not worth risking a job over a knife.
 
I'm the director of plant ops & maintenance in a local hospital and carry a small fixed blade under my scrub top a folder in my strong side and a multi-tool on my weak. Been doin it for 6yrs. I'm in Oklahoma and like Otis Williams said lots of knived here. So it doesn't phase anybody.....
 
I'm a radiographer at a hospital and I always carry a one-hand-pocket-clip folder on me.
I don't carry a large folder because I don't want to frighten my patients should I need to use it in front of them.
And I don't need a large heavy folder pulling by scrubs down to my ankles.

Over the years I have carried quite a few different knives (usually within the size range of the Spyderco Delica).
The Kershaw Scallion and the Spyderco Salt were two of my favorite work knives.
But lately I have been carrying a Spyderco Meerkat.
It's not too big or too aggresive looking but it's big enough to cut tape and clothing and such.
The guys like it cause of the cool Phantom-Lock feature, and the gals like it because it looks so cute. :)

I advise against a Swiss Army Knife for only one reason.
I can't count how many times I have needed to cut something but I only had one hand free to get my knife.
Often the other hand is either holding something that I can't let go of, or is too bloody or puke covered.


Good luck,
Allen
 
I was a patient for two months back in 01 and used my Spyderco Police for peeling fruit and other little tasks that a patient may need an edge for. The nurses took notice of it, and it didn't bother anyone from a 'weapon point of view'. One of the nurses even went on to say that the all metal construction is sanitary. I also commented about the diet I was on, was not to have any kind of peels or pits.

One other nurse was a bit nervous at first that I may cut myself using it while being under the influence of the morphine haze.

I did notice that the maintenance staff often had decent sized folders on thier belts.
 
Do yourself a favor and heed some of the very wise advice from the hospital based people. I have been a hospital based attending physician for 20 years in the north eastern part of the country. What a sportsman calls a tool others call a weapon. Your new job can become your former job very quickly.
 
I wore a Gene Ingram Pocket Hippo in a neck sheath under my scrubs. I would leave my other knives in my pants pocket. I was always worried that I would leave a knife clipped to my scrubs. (I am a Surgical Technologist.)
 
This post would be hilarious if it weren't so sad. At a hospital there is hazardous medical waste, needles of all gauges and lengths, scalpels, lasers, radiology equipment (nuclear/radiation), dangerous drugs (narcotics) and dangerous volume of drugs (aspirin can be harmful in a large enough dose), and lets not leave out bacteria and viruses like staph and merca. Yet someone is worried about whose got what type of knife or whatever else is in their pockets. We are without question doomed as a society. Good luck in your quest for a busybody pc pushing, pencil necked, bureaucratic, conflict resolution course instructor, legal eagle geek, approved, non-threatening, non-offensive, non-unsettling, non-disruptive, non-intimidating, pocket knife, err I mean dangerous weapon.
 
MikeC said:
This post would be hilarious if it weren't so sad. At a hospital there is hazardous medical waste, needles of all gauges and lengths, scalpels, lasers, radiology equipment (nuclear/radiation), dangerous drugs (narcotics) and dangerous volume of drugs (aspirin can be harmful in a large enough dose), and lets not leave out bacteria and viruses like staph and merca. Yet someone is worried about whose got what type of knife or whatever else is in their pockets.....
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A combative schizophrenic patient is not going to be too threatening with a bottle of aspirin in his hand.
Heck, even with a needle he would be a rather minor threat (especially if the needle was unused and still sterile).
But a combative schizophrenic patient who has snatched a Spyderco Police off a hospital worker....
That's a very serious problem!
 
i would NOT ask ANYBODY, at the hospital, as others have recommended. read the policy, if it does not apply to the pocket knife you're carrying, DON'T MENTION you have it. adminin is programmed to say "NO" on things like this, whether it violates policy or not. whereas, if it does NOT violate policy, and they discover it, they are on very shaky ground trying to discipline you.

i would carry WITHOUT pocket clip exposed and i'd try to find something without a big or tacticool blade. other than that, i wouldn't give it much thought.

if it ever does come up, act surprised when they say "weapon"

ETA - i was coming out of surgery, my Dr. came into my room to stick a big hose up my nose. he went to open a package. he reached in his pocket and pulled out a Stilleto style auto opener. i though it was pretty cool to see him do that.
 
It appears from all the different responses that there is a wide variety of rules and situations. The problem you face is that if you err, the consequences could be severe, including termination. I would tend towards the conservative side inn my conduct, particularly as a new employee.
 
I work at a hospital and for years carried different knives. Once, I was asked not to bring it because someone blabbed. I became very discreet after that and used it only in private or around othersI trusted. Back then it was an Endura.

Lately, I've carried a Vic Deluxe Tinker, a Wenger Tool Chest, and a Vic Spirit with a modded pocketclip. All of these are with scrubs and I use a seperate knife for lunch (Vic Picnic).

Things you may want remember:

--get something that is all metal or a beater blade. All metal is easier to clean if the knife falls into something nasty or if it's something you'd rather not clean, you can just throw it away without losing too much.

--have the blade set aside for general use OR for food prep. If a blade is even used in a room where a patient had some bug, it may get infected with something or if there is a possiblity the blade was infected with some bug, I don't think you want to use the blade until it it's been cleaned.

--get something small to take out around untrusted staff and patients. The Wenger does the job for that stuff where I work. No one says anything when it comes out and I've no problems. You may still scare the sheeple, but few people say anthing when I show them how small it is. If something is said, it 'disappears' for a while.

--be discreet with it's use. I take out the larger blades (ones I carry in a bag or belt pouch into work) only when absolutely necessary (emergency cutting needed such as restraints, possiblity of a patient or relative attacking me or some criminal reported to be on the grounds.)

Just be careful in its use.

Hope this helps.
 
hawkhead said:
Do yourself a favor and heed some of the very wise advice from the hospital based people. I have been a hospital based attending physician for 20 years in the north eastern part of the country. What a sportsman calls a tool others call a weapon. Your new job can become your former job very quickly.
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The best post yet!

Let's face it, how much knife do you really need in a hospital? There are sissors everywhere, and it's a pretty secure environment. You could get away with carrying a small sak on a keyring and a pair of EMT shears in your pocket, and probably never need anything more.

It's your job, you need to make the call as to what's more important.
 
What about a white FRN Spyderco Dragonfly? Although an all steel version could be also advantageous given the comments from Bufford and Hateman.

Regards.


Jaime Orozco.
 
Get or use a Waved(or not) Spyderco "rescue" and show and ask your boss or admin.. especially the Orange handled ones. It also depends on what you're doing there. If you're a Paramedic or in the trauma unit one of those type of knives should be a mandatory carry. it all depends. crap, you have scalpels all over the place. I just wouldn't assume you can carry a Emerson CQC-7 or something. Those scare the crap out of sheeple. Especially ones that see stab wounds. But a Blunt tip or sheeps foot should be just not ok to carry, but should be part of your mandatory gear.Just My opinion.
 
crap, you have scalpels all over the place.
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I've never worked in a hospital that had scalpels "all over the place".
Other than in surgery, you just don't see them laying around very often.

And even in surgery they are usually on the sterile tray of instruments and must be accounted for (counted before and after surgery to make sure one was not left inside the patient).

And most hospitals are now using the "one use only" throw-away blades (sometimes the entire scalpel, handle and blade are disposable), so after we use them we put them in a "sharps container" where they can't be retrieved.
 
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