Shandong medics on frontlines make their own ‘pockets’

“We found a fatal flaw in the design of our protective clothing – there are no pockets for us carry paper and pens,” said Li Xingguo, a member of the Shandong medical team that is helping fight the novel coronavirus pneumonia in Hubei province.

“We need to carry around a pen and paper to constantly record data about patients,” said Li, adding that records of clinical nursing work are very important, and heart rates, respiration, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and other data all directly affect the type of treatment patients will receive.

Li and his colleagues thus decided to create “pockets” made out of empty bottles of disinfectant laced with infusion tubing.

“I drew a picture of Peppa Pig on mine to remind me of my kid. It’s badly drawn, but I hoped the patients would get a kick out of it,” Li said, “It turns out that most people think it’s kind of cute.”

Li’s colleagues eventually upgraded the pocket to a “pouch” by using shoe shine cloth, ties, and other materials from the hotels they are staying in. Many workers got creative by drawing and writing on their pouches.

Li Xingguo, a member of the Shandong medical team on the frontlines of the fight against the virus in Hubei province, shows off his pocket made from an empty bottle of disinfectant. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Pouches made by Shandong medical personnel [Photo/dzwww.com]

Shandong medical workers show off their pouches made from items they found in their hotels. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Many of the workers spruced up their pouches with drawings and words. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Shandong medical workers show off their handmade pouches in an isolation ward in Hubei province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Shandong medical workers show off their handmade pouches. [Photo/dzwww.com]