My on-the-road tool-kit

When I began in home care, I had my fair share of oh-no! moments. Whether it was not having enough water, the need to run to the bathroom unexpectedly between clients, or the stuff I forgot that I should not have. I learned a lot over the course of 12 years on the road. I want to share with you the things I have done to ensure my sanity while I work. Here are the bring-along items and reminders I maintain for my work on the road:

1. A good cooler: I definitely looked into having a cooler that was refrigerated, but instead had large ice packs for the summer and a large enough cooler to carry my water bottles, lunch, and an ice pack that stayed cold all day.

2. Water bottles: In the summertime, I packed up to 3 water bottles to ensure adequate hydration. They had to be able to fit into my console's water bottle holder, and I would keep them fresh in my cooler.

3. Playlist: Eventually, the amount of ads on the radio interfered with the vibe I wanted while I went from home to home. I eventually made my travel time into karaoke time. I developed a much better singing voice over the course of working in home care (bonus!).

4. The pat-down: A quick check before leaving each home to make sure my phone didn't make its way between couch cushions was essential.

5. Avoid changing bags: I found that the bag changes were the worst for recalling where items were. Consistency was super helpful so that I could quickly locate the items I needed from home to home. I liked having a backpack most given that the bag could get heavy with extra assessments or tools.

6. Allen keys: The quick tune-up or adjustment was a lifesaver for many clients. Mobility aids often need that quick adjustment to improve posture or gait. I tried to keep a set in that was lightweight so that I would always have them around. You need both metric and imperial, as there is not much consistency for adaptive equipment.

7. Measuring tape: I kept two (at least) in my bag. A soft one is also helpful for measuring edema or to determine sizing for heel boots, compression stockings, and the like. Find a small, sturdy one and have a second for when the rep you're with accidentally takes one (accident?).

8. Avoid bringing adaptive aids: It is tempting to bring examples of adaptive aids, but it can become cumbersome to bring (and to remember). An online catalog can be quick and helpful for showing devices. An in-store visit with a vendor of choice can be quite productive. Consider that many of these items are much more widely available with a click on an online store or at the dollar store. One has to make choices about how our time is spent. Developing a list of helpful devices can also be a good treatment activity.

9. Picnic blanket: For summer, a good spot in the park sitting on your picnic blanket, is a great way to spend a lunch break and reset. Inviting a colleague to do the same can boost morale on the job.

10. Community spots for breaks and bathroom use: Look up local grocery stores with lunch-area seating, search for community spaces, like a local library, and find shops that offer public washrooms. This is vital to preventing the use of bathrooms that might not be very well-maintained in the homes of our clients. Retirement home visits are a lifesaver. So plan your day with a couple of places where you can use the facilities easily.

11. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): A supply of commonly used items should be on-hand at all times--hand-sanitizer, gloves, booties, and protective glasses should always be in your bag. Gowns are less frequently used in our practice, but I would definitely have ample supply in your vehicle, as well as N-95s and visors. Forgetting these items can prevent you from being safe on the job. Risking your safety for a visit can lead to poor sleep or infestations in the home. Be mindful that your safety impacts yourself and others. Doing a screening and adjusting while at the visit is extremely helpful.

12. Boundaries: Make sure to bring the confidence you require to your visit to say no to unsafe or abusive working conditions. Just because you're in the home does not mean politeness overrules safety. You are allowed to request a change of location or method of visit at any time, and you should have the support of your manager to make these changes, in case they need to respond to questions or complaints about your decisions. We all want everyone to get the care they need, but the conditions of each worker is very important during the provision of care. Report things that do not meet your standards and expectations for appropriate interactions.

There is so much to love about community care, but there can be obstacles to fully enjoying the work. We have the privilege of directly impacting the client within the environment in which they live. We can see our work making a difference in real time. Never underestimate how important your work is. Mistakes and oh-no! moments happen to all of us. Give yourself the grace to keep working on the things you can change to become a great clinician.