What supplies do I need for med-surg? - Page 2

Bring your own stethoscope, pen light, carpuject, brain sheets, trusted pen, scissors. From the hospital supply, I load my pockets with alcohol wipes, IV caps, flushes, tape, gauze. I can usually find a highlighter, permanent marker and dry erase marker on my unit.

Buy scrubs that have at least 2 pockets on the top and cargo pant scrubs for extra storage space! Good luck

I'm always surprised to see people recommend bringing a pulse oximeter and BP cuff for a shift at a hospital. Every unit I've ever been on (multiple floors in three different, unrelated hospitals) has rolling towers for vitals, plus they have wall-mounted manual units in every room for those times when you want a "real" blood pressure.

Many places even have single-patient cuffs (you just hook the tubing to the tower, and leave the cuff on the patient's bedrail between uses) for infection control purposes -- so many patients are on contact precautions for MRSA and VRE these days.

Good shoes!!!

Ya know, depending on if your floor has WOW's (workstations on wheels, i.e. rolling computers), you might not need to carry all of that stuff in your pockets. My unit has WOWs and they have a small, two drawer unit below the keyboard tray in which I can carry most of those handy items. However, my most used items during the day that are in my pockets at all times are my multi-colored ink pen (4 colors that I use frequently: black for writing orders, blue for signing them off, red for taking report on my "brain sheets", and green for my to-do list or any new info that I need to know or report off to the next shift); dry erase marker; saline flushes & alcohol wipes. The other great items that everyone else has mentioned, I keep inside or on my WOW. Just got to remember to collect your personal belongings (pill splitter, shears, markers/pens/pencils, stethoscope, etc) when your shift is over.

No advice. Everyone seemed to cover it well. Have you started your new job? How did it go?

My uniform is not complete without a small bottle of hand lotion.

All of the stuff everyone has listed and I would recomend a granola or protein bar of some type just in case lunch is late or doesn't happen

I am in very similar position. I have been away from the bedside for 15 yrs, and have my first shift Sunday. (Med-Surg). All these posts are helpful. (thanks everyone).

I read your post saying you'd already started your job, and it was going well. I am anxious about performing well and getting up to speed as quickly as possible.

There are SO many posts on this site that make med-surg sound like a nightmare. I'm going to try to stop reading them!

I have 6 yrs med surg experience plus another six of critical care, but it has been 15 yrs.

Nurse ABC, I'd love to hear more about how it was for you and how you are doing now.

And if anyone can give me ANY advice to help my jitters, I'd love that, too!