What's in your bag (and/or car) -- the PDN version!

[brillohead]

I see this thread from time to time in the general nursing or student sections, but since PDN is a different situation from floor/facility nursing (no locker to stash stuff in, no cafeteria or vending machines, no coworkers to borrow from), I wondered what all everyone carries with them to work?

What do you have in your bag for every shift?

What do you keep in your car for "just-in-case"?

What did you use to carry with you that you realized was a waste of energy so you stopped bringing it?

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

When it comes to my nursing bag it's always hard to strike a balance between taking EVERYTHING and lugging a huge bag or taking just what I know I will need. I try and strike a balance. It's just not practical to roll into some cases with luggage. I try and be mission specific. I don't have any trach cases now so I don't have any suction catheters or saline, ect.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

My car stash saved me yesterday...

In the middle of changing for work, my menfolk returned to the house after being gone all day. I went out to "give report" for the evening (the dog needs his meds, don't eat the steak in the fridge, it's for Easter dinner, etc.).

As so often happens when we are interrupted, I missed a step in my routine. More than halfway into the 30+ mile trip to work, I look down and realize I'm still wearing my t-shirt with the snarky saying on it. DOH!

Fortunately, my spare shirt was within reach in the back seat. I changed while driving down the highway (rural area, little traffic), no harm, no foul.

Now I need to remember to replace my spare shirt! LOL