Published Jul 15, 2009
thekid
356 Posts
Do you carry lab values, abbreviations, conversion charts (metric)?
Do you keep it in a pocket/on uniform/fanny pack or do you keep it at the desk?
Does your facility allow you to use a PDA to store info?
blondy2061h, MSN, RN
1 Article; 4,094 Posts
I carry an iPod Touch, with a lot of info on it, but really just look up what I need to know online when I need to know it. Our EMR has a lot of stuff built into it, also. Lab reference ranges should be right on the lab report. We have formula for BSA and ANC posted, and Celsius to Fahrenheit charts.
RNperdiem, RN
4,592 Posts
Our computers at work have programs for drug information, calculations, nursing policy and procedure manuals, lab results etc.
I carry very little weight around in my pockets.
Medical and surgical residents are using PDA more and more for their cheat sheets/reference materials. Pick up one of those white coats with the pockets stuffed full of mini-reference books, and understand the popularity of electronics.
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
On the back of my employee ID badge I had scotched taped to it some normal lab and therapeutic values that we used a lot so I merely had to flip the badge up to "consult" them. I wrote them crazy small like Applebee in the movie Cheats.
EarthChild1130
576 Posts
I never carried a lot of stuff in pockets either that didn't really need to be there because then my shirt started to feel really heavy! LOL However, I have begun to carry my Blackberry phone which has the Epocrates app, and I love it because it has a drug interaction checker on it, and I can use the patient education info on there. If I ever go back to work inpatient, I'll carry probably that...then again, I don't want it to get all germy so I'll probably access Epocrates from the hospital computer LOL...generally, everything I wanted to know was on the lab sheets already, or was a number I saw so much that I just memorized it (i.e., Depakote and Lithium levels, Na levels, etc)
diane227, LPN, RN
1,941 Posts
Not much, just my passwords. Everything else is on line.