Be prepared! Drugs and equipment for 'Good Samaritan' acts.

Little evidence or advice exists in the medical literature on 'medical kit' that could be usefully carried by physicians to prepare them for unexpected emergencies. The aim of this study was to establish what, in the opinion of Emergency Physicians, is an appropriate medical kit for doctors to carry to prepare them for 'Good Samaritan' acts. A telephone survey, using a proforma, of United Kingdom Emergency Physicians was conducted. Of the responders to the survey, 10% routinely undertook prehospital work. Seventy-two percent thought it appropriate to carry equipment, but only 43% thought it appropriate to carry medications. Over 80% considered basic airway equipment useful to carry, whereas other items of medical kit were considered appropriate much less commonly. A large proportion of emergency physicians consider it appropriate to carry some medical kit for 'Good Samaritan' acts and, in general, the consensus of opinion as to what medical kit should be carried agreed with the evidence-base for prehospital interventions.