What do you bring home with you?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I just had to laugh -- today I noticed that there are piles of alcohol packets from work all over house.

Then I noticed that I also have an IV end cap rattling around on my dresser.

I have also brought home: 2X2's, a tourniquet, unlimited tape rolls, 10mg of Lasix (half tablet), butterfly needles, and once, to my husband's utter horror, a 16 gauge IV catherter.

If I didn't work insane hours in an ER, I'd think I had some odd form of kleptomania, but I guess it's just a bad habit of not cleaning out my pockets before I leave work.

What else gets brought home? Besides the c-diff and VRE, of course!

I had so many alcohol wipes saved up that it literally took me years after I stopped working in the hospital to use them all! LOL. However, there are so many things that they can be used for. Extra gloves too can be a lifesaver and come in very handy at home! :p

At our hospital this klepto thing has taken a new turn. One nurse was having puppies... (you know what I mean...lol) so she took a BOX of gloves, and sheets and towels. Another nurse has ruts in her driveway, so she took a wash basin, an emisis basin, and went to the parking lot and took gravel!!! I think this is a bit more than an ETOH pad and Christmas trees! (LOL):coollook:

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Barely off orientation and I'm givien a DNR in status epilepticus that I am to push Valium on until she quits. We didn't have Pyxis at that time and (I can't believe this still) only the C-II and C-III drugs were locked up. So I'm given a small handful of Valium vials to push on this lady. I believe I gave 50mg that night in 5mg increments. Thankfully I was in the habit of emptying my pockets at the end of the shift and found 2 vials of Valium, one partially used. I almost lost control of my bodily functions. Ironic thing is there wasn't even a way to waste them, remember, we didn't count C-IV drugs at that time (10 years ago) at least not at that hospital.

Other than that, I've usually just brought home the usual stuff, saline/heparin vials, alcohol swabs, pens, lots of pens. . .

Nothing.......All needles and sharps are acounted for. If you are caught leaving the premises with anything, you can kiss your State job good-by.

I used to come home with alcohol pads, syringes with saline for flushing and those red caps and once in a while a CLC or my assignment with all my plan of care stuff on it (bad bad and not very HIPPA friendly). Now I clean out my pockets while standing at the time clock because basically at home I don't want reminders of the hospital!

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... Now I clean out my pockets while standing at the time clock because basically at home I don't want reminders of the hospital!

Excellent reason!

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