Clinic Bag?

Published

I've heard a lot of mention of having a "clinic bag" for school (I'm starting in January). Can anyone explain to me exactly what this is? Is it basically just a separate bag with your clinical components in it (stethoscope, pen light and scissors)? Are there any other items that I should be adding to my very short and probably poorly made list?

Any info is great! Thanks!!:up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/Ortho.

My clinic bag was multipurpose. I used it on skills lab days to carry my supplies. Always my steth, penlight and whatever I needed for lab that day (NG tubing, cath tray, gauze etc). I used it for clinical to carry my extras. I always had my steth and pen light on me at the hospital, but I put my lunch, gum, cough drops, emergency tampon, any books or notes I needed for post conference all in my clinic bag in the break room. Make sure you keep money, steth, and credit cards on your person.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

this is what I have:

A clipboard (one of the kinds that is hard plastic and opens up to hold papers, pens, calculator, whatever...)

In the clipboard I keep my notebook paper for writing assesments, my checkoff booklet, my "little man" assessment guide, and my abrev./charting terms booklet.

I carry in my pocket a flip style small notebook, my pocket organizer that has my penlight, sharpie (for writing on bandages), sissors, and alcohol wipes, mints, tiny travel size lotion (for all the handwashings that dry out your hands so bad), and chapstick. Also, I keep some change in my pocket organizer because you never know when you'll get a break and if you'll have enough time to hunt down your bag.

In my bag I keep my drug handbook, my procedures handbook, B/P cuff, gait belt, and that's about it. I heard never to put your steth down because it may just wander off, plus mine is a really nice littman from my sister.

I keep my bag either in a break room (if we're given access to one) or at the nurses station out of the way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

By the last semester, you really get it down. Here's what I kept in mine:

-stethoscope

-a bag of pens/sharpies/dry erase markers

-hand sanitizer

-binder/clipboard(however you feel like organizing yourself)

-a 10 dollar bill in case I forgot my wallet in the car

-hard candy for emergencies

-a bottle of water in case we didn't go to lunch right away.

-a notebook

-drug book

Keep things together so all you have to do is grab the bag on clinical days.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

april&em stated:

A clipboard (one of the kinds that is hard plastic and opens up to hold papers, pens, calculator, whatever...)

In the clipboard I keep my notebook paper for writing assesments, my checkoff booklet, my "little man" assessment guide, and my abrev./charting terms booklet.

Plastic clipboards are both cheaper and less durable...they also inflict less damage then an aluminum clipboard when you accidentally hit, bang and/or drop your clipboard on your patient.....
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just keep a clipboard w/ the compartment inside, but I always have 50 cents (how much a soda costs at the facility), ID, penlight, steth, bandage scissors, blank copy of our clinical assignment, 4-5 sheets of paper, 2 pens, disinfectant, alcohol swabs for my steth and lotion. When I get to clinicals I distribute most parts to my pockets and steth around my neck and when I'm done I put it all back in and that way I don't lose anything.

I would never go to clinicals with more than $1 though (classmate had money stolen already). I just leave it in my car. Too easy to have things fall out of pockets or leave the clipboard in a patient's room and have something come up missing ect

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got this bag from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDPT54

It's a toolbag, which means that it's very durable, has tons of little pockets in side and out, and has a wide opening at the top so that I can see everything in there. I always keep my stethoscope, small spiral notebook, BP cuff, penlight, scissors, extra pens and sharpies, gum, hand sanitizer and lotion in there. On the day of clinicals I don't have to run around looking for the essentials. I also usually toss in some water, a little cash (just in case), and a snack.

In my pockets I carry two clicky pens and my PDA (with drug guide, lab values, Tabers, etc). I don't use a clipboard, I just staple the papers I need together, fold them in half and keep them in my pocket. If I never set them down I can't lose them. Also, as soon as I get to the site, my stethoscope comes out of the bag and stays around my neck. As other posters have mentioned, they tend to get "lost" when not carefully supervised.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I use a tote bag for clinicals, just something cheap and washable. In it lives:

  • Clipboard with clinical assignment and some note paper attached
  • Stethoscope
  • Penlight
  • Calculator
  • Forceps--I'd like to say my bandage scissors live here too, but more often than not they're living in my craft basket
  • Drug guide
  • Med-surg guidebook
  • Assessment guidebook
  • Pens/pencils/highlighters
  • Snack bars
  • Some money
  • And the forbidden cell phone (ringer off, only checked on break to see if daycare called re my child)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Be careful with what bag you purchase. My school had a specific bag from a specific company, in a specific color that we had to get. I keep a clipboard, a make up pouch with pens, sharpies, highlighters, extra copies of clinical papers (if needed), pen light, bandage scissors, ID, stethascope, gait belt (requirement), and my pda that has a drug guide and some other things on it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My bag had the big stuff, notebook, reference books in it. I kept it in the nurse's breakroom where they told us we could keep our stuff. I kept one of those little butt packs, (I went all over creation to find one in white), on me to carry all the little stuff I needed on the floor. I have to emphasize that you need to keep your ID, money, credit cards, or other valuables on your person. We had people get belongings stolen from the nurse's breakroom. Luckily nobody wanted any of my nursing texts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

i got a 4 code padlock for my bag, it is a plain bag on the outside with only 1 large front pocket 2 side pockets 2 water holders, now the inside is full of compartiments!

nice and durable with the padding underneath so it will keep flat on the floor, also, there are 2 flush compartiments inside, equaly separate, which i have a folder inside where got:

- my clinical reference book

- papers,

- hand books,

- note pad

and on the otherside i keep:

- germ X,

- 10 1-dollar bills,

- ibuprofen,

- lotion,

- eye drops (in case they get dry due to the air conditioner)

- rolled up plain white fleece in case i get cold,

- 4 granola bars,

- 4 of those green tea to go packs,

- 2 of those extreme engergy vitamin b bottles, (in case i get tired)

- gum

- vicks (in case i cant stand the smell)

- deodorant (uncented)

On my pocket

1 pocket organizer with clip so i can clip (bought at uniform city) it to my pants pocket, with

-scisors

-pen light

-sharpie

-2 tree collor pens

-4 quaters for a pop or water

and on my scrub pocket i carry

- tiny leather notepad with calculator -6bucks at walmart, great for reasuring your calculation

- alcohool wipes

on my top pocket my Iphone (pda)

no my neck at all times - steth

i think this is pretty much what i might need i took my time putting it together, based on what the more experience students carry,a nd what i need!

hopefully it will be enought to supply me whith whatever i might need - the gadget man lol

ah, i got a 4 pad lock for my bag, a little one for the front pocket, and one for the main partition!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

csantos

You are a very organized person! Thanks for the complete packing list. You seem to have covered everything.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion