What do you pack in your work bag? - Page 4

wow, i almost want to say what don't i carry?! lol.
i try not to have to hunt for any piece of basic equipment….wastes too much time that i just do not have. even worse i hate to wonder if it is working correctly, the batteries working or the calibration right. let alone has the item been cleaned! here is what i carry in my little bag.

1. stethoscope

2. blood pressure cuff wrap around for the arm

3. blood pressure electronic wrist type in case i cannot access an arm as with some dialysis patients or one’s with anticubital iv’s and picc’s.

4. tape measure for abdomens, legs, and all sorts of measurements.

5. scissors and hemostats

6. pulse ox like the ones used by our respiratory department to check my respiratory patients.

7. my “drug book” and “tabers” are both loaded into my treo smart phone along with several other programs i just cannot live without.

8. safety pins

9. small bottle hand sanitizer and a compactable lotion

the rest are personal things and extra strength migraine caplets and that type of thing. usually there is a roll of tape, a few bandaides, and whatever whatnots i think i may need.

stethescope, pen light, calipers
pens and pencils and a few sharpees
bottle of water,
wallet,
iphone and
books.

books seem to spawn in my bag. i don't get it.

In my pockets I always have:

Scissors
2 black pens
yellow highlighter
black Sharpie
1 red pen
my cart keys

On my cart:
Large, pedi and regular adult manual BP cuffs
My steth

I have two bags. One is a mini-bag. It's actually a bag that a manual BP cuff came in. In there is pretty much just extras...many, many extra pens, highlighters, a couple pencils, extra sharpies, some hemostats, some sticky notes

In my big bag (the little bag goes in this and I shlep it back and forth):
the little bag
my car keys
my swipe badge
my name tag
exactly two dollars (gotta have it for iced coffee in the afternoon...)
sometimes a snack
War heads (sour candies)
Gum, gum and more gum
cough drops
Altoids

Ooh this is making me think of all the things I should buy for my bag. I carry a big messenger bag that's usually got a couple of school books in it (yay grad school), folders, my clipboard (complete with doctor's numbers taped inside), feminine products, chapstick, and my pencil case. In my pencil case, you'll find a 10 cc NS flush, red and black pens, tweezers, and more chapstick normally. I also carry my medications and some Tylenol with me. When I was a fresh new grad, I kept a binder of paperwork commonly found on the unit.

I'm thinking I need to start carrying around a pair of scissors, sticking multicolored pens in every available pocket, and some snacks and hidden change.

This is a good thread. It's interested to know what other people keep around.

Food. Stethoscope. Everything else I keep in my locker: "Nerd Pens" (the ones with red, black, green, and blue click options), feminine stuff, hair brush, tooth brush, arnica rub, and of course menthol oil to rub under my nose if I get a stinky patient.
If I need to change my scrubs I just put on hospital scrubs.

OOh, I forgot! I also keep a pair of calipers handy!