What's in your pocket - ER Style

Specialties Emergency

Published

  • Specializes in TNCC, ENPC, ACLS, BLS.

You are reading page 4 of What's in your pocket - ER Style

Rhi007

300 Posts

When on a St. John duty I have a pick pocket that has the following:

Trauma shears

Pen

Penlight

5x pairs of gloves

Silk and paper tape

Phone

Normal scissors

Triangular bandage

StretchRN

3 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

I start each shift with one pen and trauma shears in my pocket with my stetho and tape are around my neck.

I'm curious about what is in everyone's pockets at the END of their shift,lol. I ended my shift yesterday with an empty ativan vile, 2 lid tabs from medication viles, 1 bandaid, a 3ml syringe still in the wrapper, a wad of alcohol swabs, 6 pens (accidentally stolen from coworkers ;) a pt's family member's phone number they wrote on an old receipt, 55 cents, and a gum wrapper.

Inori, BSN, RN

396 Posts

Specializes in Ambulatory care.

Well i'm clinic nurse who did a year long stint as ER volunteer when I was a student so whats in my pockets has more in common with ER nurses than the rest of my cowokers. All this weighs probably 5 lbs. such that my preceptor joked that I had just about as much equipment in my pockets as a cop. I avoid putting items in my back pocket as things then to fall out when I sit down. Well technically I don't need all of this equipment as I'm not an ER nurse however I feel safer and more confident with all of this stuff in my pockets as I know I will have everything I need if I need it. This is my security blanket of sorts . It did come in handy during one weekend where I was called in to work in a city wide emegency ah from the hurricane sandy. I was one of the few people who had scissors. OK end of shift I have to empty pockets less I accidentally take home stuff I should not

Stethoscope

alcohol pads,

sharpie

dry erase marker

black & red pens,

gauze

bandaid

pen light

tape

scissors

ruler

2 pairs of gloves

cellphone,

wallet,

aquaphor hand oil "barrier creme',

Vaseline,

2 granola nut bars,

$10-20 cash,

mini calendar,

mini comb

2-3 sheets of 8x11

RN Notes spiral pocketbook,

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN

1,939 Posts

-Steth

-Gum or mentos

-Two pens

-Scissors

-My keys( no matter how bad my shift is, my keys remind me that I'll go home eventually)

UK_RN_AJ

24 Posts

Specializes in Emergency/Acute.

Stethascope

Trauma shears and Clamp

Pen torch

marker for board and surgical marking

Several Pens

Tape + SWABS

Iphone and Little cash

Always have a tray with IV start and blood taking kit set up.

Stethoscope

2 pens

pen light

shears

And at the beginning of my shift I always load up on alcohol swabs and flushes!

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Trauma shears, steth (around neck), blue pens, a highlighter (to highlight completed orders), alcohol preps, 2x2s, tape... and my patrol cap in case I need to go outside quickly. My patrol cap is one fashion accessory we Army folks are not supposed to be missing while outdoors. ;)

Now I have to amend mine, due to my location: trauma shears, IV start kit, sharpie to write patient number on patient's legs (if they have any), tourniquet, alcohol preps, 2x2s, tape, and my 9mm pistol. :D We don't wear patrol caps on our compound, so that's one less thing! lol

zmansc, ASN, RN

867 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

Pixie -

I love seeing your perspective, Every time I read your posts it seems like I get an eye opened into a world I fortunately will never have to see. Thanks for your service!

Kimo in sd

3 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

front pocket: two pens, one permanent marker, highlighter, dry erase marker, ID.

Cargo pants pocket 1: IV drip & ACLS Rx drip cheat sheet, two-four flushes and IV hub adaptors

Cargo pants pocket 2: Stethoscope, i don't wear my steth around my neck because it become a choking hazard with combative and confused patients.

Pants Pocket: work phone.

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Pixie -

I love seeing your perspective, Every time I read your posts it seems like I get an eye opened into a world I fortunately will never have to see. Thanks for your service!

Thanks, it's a privilege. :) I know many ER nurses stateside who envy me for getting to carry the 9mm at work! lol

maluakua

17 Posts

I always find I have at least 2 syringes, a bunch of alcohol swabs, and some kind of leftover benadryl or tylenol I forgot to return! Haha!

msjellybean

277 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

Depending on what scrubs I'm wearing, the location tends to vary a bit. But... in my left top pocket I have my phone, gum, and carmex. Top right pocket is a couple pens, dry erase marker, & a sharpie. My trauma shears go in one of the cargo pockets on my pants and then I typically have a stash of alcohol swabs in my rear pants pocket. My companion phone goes in my right pant pocket.

I've been organizing my gear this way for 3.5 of my 4 years as a nurse and trying to switch it up at this point feels VERY weird.

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