10 Things in Your Jump Bag That You Should've Replaced 3 Shifts Ago

Your jump bag is a time capsule; A mix of essential tools, expired meds, and items you swore you’d replace three months ago. Every provider, at some point, ends up carrying around a trauma shears-shaped rust collector and a penlight held together by tape and prayer. But when gear failure happens mid-call, it stops being funny. So, here’s your sign to finally clean out your bag and upgrade the stuff that’s clinging to life support.

1. The Crusty Trauma Shears
You know the ones. Rusted hinge, chipped blade, can’t cut a paper gown. They’ve seen too much, time to retire them. Upgrade to the Leatherman Raptor Response or XShear Extreme Duty Shears. Both cut through denim, seatbelts, and your will to continue, cleanly and efficiently.

2. That Roll of Hair-Covered Tape
If your tape roll looks like it went through a dryer full of dog hair, it’s not sterile. It’s a biohazard. Grab a clean 3M Medipore roll or some tactical medical tape that actually sticks to skin, not just to your gloves.

3. An NPA From the Obama Era
Old airways in your bag are sketchier than expired milk. Latex cracks, packaging warps, and no one trusts a tube that’s yellowed with time. Replace it with a an Endure NPA Kit. It comes pre-lubed and individually sealed, like an airway should be.

4. The Stethoscope That Hears Ghosts
If you’re “hearing breath sounds” but not really hearing anything, congrats, you’ve reached placebo levels of auscultation. Ditch that Amazon knockoff and go with a Littmann Classic III or a Cardiology IV if you want to flex.

5. Your Melted Penlight
That cheap plastic penlight from your orientation week? It’s time to let go. It flickers. It overheats. It smells weird. Upgrade to a rechargeable tactical penlight, they’re brighter, tougher, and won’t melt a hole in your pants when you leave them on (speaking from experience).

6. Expired Glucose Gel
There’s a 3-year-old Insta-Glucose packet at the bottom of your bag. You’ve stepped on it 30 times. It’s turned a questionable shade of amber. Toss it and buy a 3-pack of glucose gel on Amazon. Bonus: you might actually use it one day instead of just staring at it.

7. Foldable Bandage Scissors That Shouldn’t Be Foldable
They bend. They squeak. They gave up years ago. Swap them for a Rhino Rescue Trauma Kit—a reliable scissor set that doesn’t cry during a call.

8. Your “Guess the Time” Watch
If your current watch randomly resets when it gets wet, it’s not shift-ready, it’s decorative. Replace it with a Casio G-Shock DW5600 or a Timex Ironman Classic. Both are affordable, tough, and accurate enough to trust during a call.

9. That One Sharpie That’s More Knife Than Marker
If your Sharpie tip is as sharp as your sarcasm, it’s time for a refresh. Get a Sharpie Gel Click Pen or any fine-point marker that doesn’t look like a stabbing tool.

10. That Mystery Object in the Bottom Pocket
You don’t know what it is. I don’t know what it is. But it’s been in your bag since that mass casualty drill in 2021. Just… throw it out. Replace it with something useful, like an extra tourniquet, burn sheet, or morale patch.

Your jump bag should be a source of confidence, not a source of anxiety. The gear you carry reflects your readiness—and let’s face it, you deserve better than cracked plastic and expired everything. Investing in quality tools isn't about being fancy—it’s about being prepared when it matters.

Ready to upgrade?
Explore our top Amazon picks in the Shifts and Shears EMS Loadout.

Because you can't save lives with half-melted gear and wishful thinking.