5 things a new RN must have...

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm trying to decide if there is anything I need to go out and buy before I start my first job as a RN...

My list includes so far:

good shoes (I will look at Dansko's) & support hose

Is there anything you can't live without that you suggest for a new RN?

Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.
WOW! I LOVE the idea of an Indiglo watch, I woulda' NEVER thought about that(u must wk a lot of nights! You have some great ideas! I will definately use these when I get my RN & while in nursing school, as I will use the others on this post! I will have to save it on my fav's...

Any suggestions on PDA's? There r so many out there!

~MJ

PDA's, any PALM series is great. Go to the http://www.bestbuy.com or http://www.circuitcity.com You can order them online or get them at the store, you will NEED a warranty since if you get liquid on it, you don't want the screen which is touch screen to fry or look weird.

Just search for PALM, at one of those sites, or PDA theres a bunch of PALMs. The higher the MB the more they can hold. BUT remember you can exchange SD memory disk which are like 25-50, and save as much stuff onto the disks instead of the PDA's memory.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.

This really should be a sticky. Theres some really great responses

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Specializes in MICU, CVICU.
I learned it from one of the Readers in our Church. When a parishioner dies, their body is brought to the Church the afternoon of a particular prayer service that is done (pannykhida), with the typical funeral services done the following morning. From the end of the one service to the beginning of the second we take turns in reading Psalms over the body of the departed--all through the night. And that's where the Reader used the expression, in referring to one of those time slots in the middle of the night. I think it is terribly expressive!!!:)

NurseFirst

I personally enjoy "butt crack of dawn"

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5) a lot of gauze and alcohol pads in your pockets (prevents you from running around to get them all the time)

I consider alcohol pads to the duct tape of the nursing world! :)

Alison

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Specializes in E.R.
In the ER I always keep my throw away pen. You know the one that goes in the trash after your grungy, greasy handed, bloody patient signs their

discharge papers. I'll also second the minimalist idea. Sucks every time you bend over and all your stuff lands on the floor, worse when it lands in the pool of ...name your body fluid here. But since a list of 5 was asked for here it is

1) Trauma shears

2) Stethoscope

3) Roll of tape

4) Alcohol pads

5) Bottle of NTG 0.4mg

I also carry my PDA with its various references. But with more and more hospitals becoming wired its just as easy to look up meds via Micromedex online.

RJ

hi every body ,you are saying a good thing

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Specializes in Emergency.

Let me restate that I keep a pen to toss so when I have to have a pt who is unusually dirty and grubby to discharge I can just toss the pen. Dont want to be tossing a good cross or other nice pen.

Rj

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

A watch, a stethescope, a small notepad for now, black ink pens, red ink pens, yellow highlighter, really good shoes, comfortable bra, comfortable uniforms. Don't buy everything known to nursing, most you won't really need. Facilities will provide the tools to care for the patients if they are needed. A drug reference book is helpful for those, I can't sleep nights wondering............mind wandering............A good intern book for ICU is also a reference to help you with decision making. Not to make you a doc but to help you understand what the criteria are for the decisions that the docs make. Makes it easier to get the facts together before that phone call to the doc.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Personally im gong to pass on the comfortable bra.

rj

:uhoh21:

A watch, a stethescope, a small notepad for now, black ink pens, red ink pens, yellow highlighter, really good shoes, comfortable bra, comfortable uniforms. Don't buy everything known to nursing, most you won't really need. Facilities will provide the tools to care for the patients if they are needed. A drug reference book is helpful for those, I can't sleep nights wondering............mind wandering............A good intern book for ICU is also a reference to help you with decision making. Not to make you a doc but to help you understand what the criteria are for the decisions that the docs make. Makes it easier to get the facts together before that phone call to the doc.
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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

LOL, forgot not everyone needs one.

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Time is other important thing, time is important to avoid mistakes and charges on cares.

Time to study, to ask other colleages, to read back the prescriptions.

I find very usefull to arrive to hospital a half hour before.

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this is a good thread. i placed this in my "favorites" hope more tips to come. so helpful! thanks nurses..

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My gosh I didn't realize nurses needed so much stuff... How do you nurses out there stuff all that stuff in your pockets? I'm about to start my preqs. and I got the list off of my schools website about what might be helpful and what to carry around when I get to my clinicals. The list was nothing like what you guys are listing lol...

I know that Landau and Crest make tops with 4 pockets. I really like the Landau snap front top. And I always buy cargo pants. Make sure they have slash pockets as well as cargo pockets. Also, I'm not sure of any of the others of you, but I always have to check the inseem of the pants. I have longer legs and can't always find the longer inseems. There is a lot of stuff to carry around, so find something with a lot of pockets and always organize your pockets the same way. Alcohol and 2x2s in this pocket, tape, sissors and little flashlight in that pocket, brains in another......

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