What do you carry your pens, tape, scissors, etc in?

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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I was wondering, what do you nurses out there carry your supplies in? You know what I mean. All those pens, tape, scissors, hemostats, alcohol wipes, EKG calipers, mini calculator, etc, etc, etc. Since I've been an RN (five years this August), I've always worn a scrub coat with pockets and carried all my loot in them. All that stuff gets pretty heavy after awhile and I've noticed that it's causing the pockets to rip off some of my jackets.

So, while I was at Wal Mart today, I bought one of those Fanny packs. Like the "nurses" on ER wear around their waists. Do any of you use these? What about the apron? Are they practical? Or should I continue to load up my pockets?

Thanks for your input,

Kelly:)

Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

Right jacket pocket: 2 pens, tourniquet, tape, paper for notes, report sheet

Left jacket pocket: hemostats, coke $$, lipstick, eye drops, sudafed 12hr (1 pill)

stethoscope around my neck.

If no jacket, everything in my chest pocket except paper goes in back pocket and tape goes on hemostats hanging from pocket.

I must be a more experienced nurse now, because I can remember which pocket I always have things in. But when I have the narcotics keys, I don't always drop them in one pocket or the other, so I have to search when someone needs them. Funny how I can usually find them immediately when I need them though!!

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Left pocket: money, chapstick, gum, keys, 2 laminated 5x6 cards with pertinent phone #'s (it was someone's education project...a lifesaver!) ;)

Right pocket: scissors, hemostats, small notebook, mini-calculator, black pen, red pen

picture ID clipped to jacket, with assorted nsg pins stuck through it

stethescope around neck, with tape attached...as well as my handy-dandy homemade Ativan bottle name tag ;)

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I use a 250cc IV bag. Cut the top off and fold over. Works great in a pinch and keeps the poskets from getting ink stains.

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

Well, it doesn't look like anyone uses the fanny packs. I used my scrub coat pockets again last night. Too much stuff to carry around. It hurst my shoulders after awhile. Then I had to take my coat off as the hospital "forgot" to put the A/C on and the place was an oven!

Thanks to all for your replies!

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Hi everybody, I'm a newbie here. This looked like a good place to get my feet wet. I'm an LPN, working toward ADN, and I work in a Special Ed school. Severly multi-handicapped kids. I'm on the go all day with G-tube feeds, meds, yadda yadda... anyway... I have to carry a lot of stuff, cause a kid always needs a band-aid when I'm across the school from my office! LOL BTW, half the school is Alternative ED... ADHD,etc. My fanny pack is part of me like my scrubs! I ran out of pockets, cause I carry my cell phone in case I need 911 and I 'm in a classroom, or the RN is covering her other building and I need to get her quickly. I also got myself a really nice CPR mask, that I carry and it takes a lot of room. And I recently got myself a stethoscope cover, and it is a god-send to my neck! OK... I guess I introduced myself, so talk to you soon! This is a great site!!

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this is great! :roll

the posters on this site just rock! :kiss

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I will be starting nursing classes in August and was wondering what I will be needing for clinicals?

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Please forgive me all, but when you have been doing this a "couple of days", you too' will also be fortunate to remember what a bandaid scissor is, let alone............

and of course, I am sure I am in the minority here.................

but just had to say................

go to the bookstore and buy...............

"Don't Sweat The Small Stuff at Work"

and other 'small stuff' books.............

come on people, there is more to life than this.........

and I am goin' to my psych. on _________

love to all:chair: :chair: :chair:

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Specializes in IMCU/Telemetry.

I got a small pouch with 2 pockets when I was in Nursing school. It fits well in scrub pockets. In it I fit 4 pens, a black marker, a highlighter, 2 hemostats, a ruler (thin), and a primacor chart. All fits in my right pocket. Left pocket has tape, note book, swabs, and a postit pad. In my chest pocket I have normally 5 pens (you want a colour, I've got it) and my ID. On my belt I have my PDA and flashlight. I thank God that I only have 3 pockets, as I can only guess what I'd carry if I had more. I saw some great ideas here that I might try.

Thanks all.

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Pockets, I use all my pockets.......I need a change purse though. Canadian loonies and toonies are heavy and awkward.....

Lynda

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I guess I'm a minimalist like Heather! Left pocket has my cheat sheet, and pen. Right pocket has hemostats and scissors. Stethoscope goes around the neck. That's it. In the ICU where I work alcohol pads, tape, tegaderm and practically everything else you can think of is kept in the patient's room. Keeps it simple. Of course I still have my humongous nursing bag with everything but the kitchen sink which I keep in a drawer at my station. I know several nurses who use the id badge clips to hook their scissors, hemostats, etc to their belt loops or pants pockets.

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My pockets, the one day I didn't have any pockets I locked myself out of the med-room twice.

:imbar :imbar :imbar

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