[Pax Jordana]

Hullo all.

So I'm very excited to have landed my first hospital job (currently I am a nursing student but they took me on as a Nurse Aide) and they don't want guns or knives on the property or in our cars or anything of the sort. I'll probably still keep my gun in my car, as it is my right, and frankly nobody's gonna search it - I asked - and besides getting a riot-control sized can of Fox Labs, I think I want to back everything up with a flashlight.

Prime consideration is a pocket clip, as pockets are a precious commodity in scrubs. Better still if it's lightweight and has a tail cap switch. I'd prefer LED to high intensity incandescent. I'd like it to be long enough to use as a kubotan or fistload, too.

Basically I'm looking for something like an LED 2AA MagLite with a pocket clip - but I know I can't find all of that in one. Anybody have a good suggestion?

[JShirley]

Yes, get a 2 AA MagLite with a pocket clip (http://www.maglite.com/AA_Cell_LED.asp). Mag Lite started making them (their own LED versions) just over a year ago. After-market tail cap clickies can be found, and clips are easy to add, too.

Be aware that anything larger than the very smallest LED (5mm?) will be too bright to shine in patients' eyes, so don't expect to use it for that.

[Sistema1927]

You can also pick up a Nite-Ize LED and tail cap combo for the Mag-Lite.

Another option, for a bit more money, is one of the small single CR123 LED Luxeon flashlights, like the Nuwai QIII (http://www.nuwai.com.tw/3_watt_luxeon_led/tm_303x.htm).

[skeeter1]

When I was working in a hospital, the 2-AA MagLite was the preferred flashlight by many. They were incandescents back then, and I've come to appreciate the newer LED models by far. I have several of them, and I'll never go back to incandescents. The ones that I have are no doubt too large for your purposes, like the 4-D MagLite converted to a EverLED replacement lamp. Still, it's hard to beat the quality for the price of a MagLite.

[Guncrazy45]

I also work in scrubs, and the lack of pockets is annoying.

I wear a SmartCarry holster under my scrubs with a SureFire C3 Centurion flashlight in one of its pockets.

No telling what's in the other ;-).

[Tacticaldude]

Pax
Congrats on a new job !:) It's a good foundation for Nursing. Save yourself some trouble..don't bring any weapon even in the parking lot..Careful on co-workers in talking about our hobbies(no highroad forum talks) just do your work.. Me too also work on scrubs..I used fannypack for my stuff and flashlight(Surefire E2D or Streamlight strion rechargeable and Latest photon light) but don't get much use 'cause all of the rooms and hallways in our hospital have cheapy plastic flashlights now for emergency.
Tactical suggestions:
-Familiar yourself on all the exits and escape route in the hospital.
-Cellphones is the best..but put it in vibrate mode..you don't want those bitchy supervisors to see you ;)
-Lastly..let those Hospital Security handle the trouble inside the hospital unless you really really have to.

Here's the link of flashlights I carry:
http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main.pl?pgm=co_disp&func=displ&strfnbr=6&sku=E2D-BK
http://www.swps.com/streamlight-strion-rechargeable.html
http://www.photonlight.com/Photon-Freedom-Micro-Keychain-LED-Flashlights-p/fm-led-keychain-flashlight.htm

GoodLuck on the search..

[Regolith]

Check out the G2 LED: http://www.batteryjunction.com/g2-led-.html

It runs for up to 12 hours on a single charge, produces 80 lumens, which is plenty bright enough to disorient an attacker at night, and is brighter than a 3D Cell Maglight.

[hso]

fat fingered double post

[hso]

Do you have any training in the use of a kubaton?

The hospital is going to be full of expedient weapons. Start looking around and thinking about what the objects within a step can be used for.

"Let security handle it" is the best advice you can take. If you're in scrubs you're on the job, if you're on the job it isn't your job to do security's job. If you're not in scrubs, coming and going from your job, then you can have anything you want in your pockets/smart carry/thunderwear/fanny pack/messenger bag so don't limit yourself.

I like the Inova T1 or X5 as a kubaton sized flashlight and carry one of the two with me much of the time.

[modifiedbrowning]

My usual carry flashlight is a River Rock 1AA LED that I picked up at Target. Nice and small and slim with a pocket clip, probably to small to use as a juboton though.

[Pax Jordana]

Jshirley - darn it, even as I typed the OP I figured somebody somewhere would invent and market exactly what I needed in the exact way I stated it could not be had. Buggah.


Everybody else - thanks for the contributions. I guess it'd be useless to carry a light I couldn't shine in people's eyes, especially as I've never been to a hospital that didn't have quite a lot of emergency lighting.

HSO - you double posted.. slow net today? :neener: I have not had any formal training in kubaton. I have studied karate formally for a few years now, and have lately found myself more confident in the hammerfist than a punch or chop - it just feels to me more like what my hand ought to be doing. I just couldn't think of a graceful way to say "hammerfist reinforcermajig" heh..

And while on the job I'll definitely let security handle it unless it's the kind of thing that needs to be stopped pretty quick-like. It's more the extensive, distributed, patrolled-once-hourly parking system I've some concern for.

So- an LED maglite with pocket clip and tailcap. I'll repost a little later and share how the whole thing goes (cost of project etc..)

[hso]

If you're familiar with hammer fist strikes and you know pressure points to strike to then you're well ahead of the game. That's why I like the Inovas.

[MaterDei]

I just love my Surefire L1. It has two levels of brightness, the low you can shine in patients eyes very easily. I question that the high level would be really effective for SD though. My L2 OTOH is also a dual level light. The high is definitely bright enough for SD and the low is probably not too bright for general patient work.

Both come standard with tail end switches but they aren't clickies. You depress lightly for low power and firmly for high power. To turn them on without having to push the end you rotate the end, some for low and more for high. Hope this makes sense.

[Docgmt]

A long 14Ga needle is a great emergency weapon as long as the BG does not have a knife or worse. Get the one with the twistlock and put it on a 50cc syringe. There should be lots of other goodies around if you look for them. Don't take it outside with you, that would be bad.

[Tacticaldude]

+1 on hso on
"The hospital is going to be full of expedient weapons. Start looking around and thinking about what the objects within a step can be used for."

I've trained in Kali/Eskrima,Jeet kune do,and Krav maga..and find it very
useful..If you can find one there in your place..try start training..also good for nursing back problems..A very good excercise :)

I usually used a blanket for combative patients and when I support the security
in the E.R unit but I don't do it anymore..One time..I have a co-worker that helped in code GRAY(our hospitals code for security/combative person..All the guys working supposed to be going to the troubled unit)in the E.R. and he got slashed in the forehead with a knife by a gang members family. And the hospitals administration didn't even recognize he's bravery in helping the security(who also got stabbed) and commotion in the E.R. so, no more help from me when I'm working..I just stay and watch my unit.
Anyway,here's another flashlight I used for pupil(neuro)assessment:
http://www.niftynurse.com/product_info.php/cPath/23_27/products_id/65
There's a metal one but for patients its better to use the plastic one 'cause some patients move a lot and unpredictable..you don't want to hurt your patients :)

Btw, Learn how to manage stress..NURSING is a very stressful job..For me, I usually train in martial arts and go shooting with my buddies on a nice outdoor range near the mountains away from the city on my day offs
GoodLuck ;)

[woolfam]

This light (http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/selux2aa3w-b.shtml) is showing up in Wal-Marts (about $25) and would be an excellent option for you.

[Jorg]

This light is showing up in Wal-Marts (about $25) and would be an excellent option for you.

I have one of those lights and they're pretty nice. I would highly recommend it. Bright, good battery life, seems to be contructed well.

Mine is a slightly differently packaged version, but I believe it is identical.

[MudCamper]

About as bright as you can get an LED with 2 AAs:

http://www.brightguy.com/products/Fenix_L2D_Premium_100.php

But I still prefer this:

http://www.brightguy.com/products/SureFire_L4_LumaMax_LED_flashlight.php

[Pax Jordana]

Woolfam - can you send us a link from walmart.com? I can't seem to find the flashlight you're talking about on their site.

[ocharry]

Pax,,,RayoVac also makes the same light in a 45 lumen version,,, and i have read that battery life is a lot longer....... walmart has both

ocharry

[Corndogg]

i highly recommend the Princeton Tec Genesis.
http://www.princetontec.com/products/index.php?id=42&type=0&use=1

great new product. get the one with the aluminum body. PT came out with a really nice, high quality LED light. very bright and clear. pocket clip, that can be switched out for 2 other types of rings - anti-roll (plain) or for a lanyard. comes with 3 colored filters. has a end cap with both momentary on/off (light push) and stay on (harder push). comes with carrying case as well, all in a nice tin box.

highly recommended, definitely worth taking a look. a great, cheaper alternative to a surefire. (i have a surefire as well, and love both)