Trauma shears are one of those things you don鈥檛 always need, but when you do, you need them now. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 valuable to carry shears on your person or in your gear bag if you work in EMS, fire or even law enforcement.
One of your first priorities when assessing or treating patients, particularly those with traumatic injuries, is exposing and identifying threats to the patient鈥檚 life. Shears allow us to do this and do it quickly.
With a variety of different brands available, you can spend a lot or very little on trauma shears. Let鈥檚 look at the options.
Budget trauma shears
If you鈥檙e looking for something to get the job done, but not break the bank, the might be perfect for you. Simple but effective, these shears don鈥檛 compromise durability, despite the low-price tag. I鈥檝e personally used these shears and it is impressive what they can cut through, from large winter coats, to denim jeans and even thick leather belts.
With blunted tips for added safety, these shears work great for cutting clothes, bandages or first aid supplies. They come in packs of two, currently priced at just shy of $8. With a price that low, it鈥檚 not unreasonable to replace a contaminated pair when necessary. These shears do not disappoint.
Versatile trauma shears
The next pair of reliable trauma shears are the , with the obvious selling point of a steel-enforced carabiner for easy carrying and transport. Made from surgical-grade stainless steel, these are great for precision cutting and designed to stay sharp for long periods of time.
The carabiner component is not to be overlooked either, as it makes it very easy to clip these shears to the outside of a gear pack, key ring or even on a ballistic vest. Making it as easy as possible to carry these tools makes it more likely someone will carry them, which is why I鈥檓 a big proponent of these shears with the carabiner feature.
They come in at just over $11 on Amazon and are well worth the price.
Ergonomic trauma sheers
You鈥檇 be amazed at what trauma shears can cut 鈥� most pairs anyway. That being said, the blades themselves are not solely responsible for slicing through some of the toughest material, but rather the mechanical force of your hands using the scissors. With this in mind, you can imagine that, after a while, strong compression of both handles can leave the palm and fingers sore. If you鈥檝e ever experienced this, it might be worth trying the .
Built tough with surgical grade stainless steel like many of its counterparts, this set also offers a soft grip ergonomic handle hard to find with other shears. This allows for more comfortable use, ease of cutting and accuracy/precision with cuts. At only $8.99 a pair, these are not much more expensive than other competing brands.
All-purpose trauma shears
Next up is a pair of shears that does a lot more than just cut clothes. The is a six-in-one multi-tool that also features an O2 wrench, seatbelt cutter, ring cutter, glass breaker and a ruler. It also folds easily and features a side clip for compact carrying and versatility. It frees up your pockets or gear bag, removing the need to carry individual tools that this item comes already equipped with.
The Raptor leaves providers ready for a variety of situations and will withstand the test of time much better than other cheaper shears on the market. You really can鈥檛 go wrong with a pair of raptors, at $99 for six tools in one, you鈥檙e getting a bang for your buck.
The best trauma shears are the ones you carry
It鈥檚 hard to go wrong when choosing trauma shears. Rather, the biggest mistake you can make is not carrying them at all. Earlier on in my career, I always had these in my pocket, but now, I scatter them all over, in bags, drawers and different places in the back of the ambulance for easy access. You never know when you will need a pair of trauma shears, and having them readily available can save many precious seconds.
