L&D Nurses: What's in your pockets?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Just curious... What do you put in you put in your pockets at the beginning of your shift, and what do you find when you empty them out at the end?

What are the most useful things?

Specializes in L&D, Nursery, and Post-Partum.

I start out with my cell, 3-4 pens, alcohol prep, and iv caths. By the end of the night I have accumulated or lost pens...everything else stays the same except I will have a scrap pieces of paper, a strip, or the occasional vial of meds.

Specializes in L&D.

Alcohol prep pads, guaze pads, my stamper, chapstick, stethoscope (in a pocket. I can't stand it around my neck), pens, dry erase pen, Dr's numbers, PPH pocket sheet, work phone, my phone, hemostats with a roll of tape, bandage scissors, "good" tourniquet. And then I come home with an errant strip sheet or some just-in-case hemabate/terb that I forgot to return. It's a mess. But everytime I try and loosen my pockets up, I can't do without the things that are in them!

Why personal cells???? I can see having them at the desk or checking them periodically on pee breaks/etc, but why carry them around?!?!? We had one nurse here carry hers around and (GASP!) answer it while in a patients room! VERY UNPROFESSIONAL! :crying2:

Specializes in L&D.

well I use an iphone and have an OB Wheel, EFM reference, GBS reference & spanish phrases I use a lot on it, so it has come in quite handy on more than one occasion

That makes sense, as long as you can silence any calls coming in!!! Thank you for replying!! :)

Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.

...don't laugh....(In my fanny pack, I have) My iPhone (for my "wheel" app), report sheet, 6-7 pens, lip gloss, mirror, toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers, scissors, small notebook to write notes when I call doctors and get orders, flushes, tape, alcohol pads....LMBO. I am a fanny pack hoarder.

Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.

...oh, and occasionally an unused bottle of 2% Lidocaine or vial of methergine, which I forget to return to the Pyxis after a delivery when I didn't need to use it....:lol2:

Your hospital requires all the nurses to carry phones or just the charge nurses? This is new or first time I've heard anyone speak of. It must be a great tool to have.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Just curious... What do you put in you put in your pockets at the beginning of your shift, and what do you find when you empty them out at the end?

What are the most useful things?

Bandage scissors (to cut off: baby ID band at discharge, net panties, monitor straps at delivery if I can not reach the velcro, ect ect); four color click pens (blue and black for charting, red for noting orders) iPhone (for looking up drugs, using the calculator, checking medical terminology, ect...work related things); alcohol swabs; my "Brains". Thats all.

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