Do you use this?

[cracklingkraken]

I am ECSTATIC that I get to start nursing school in August (even though that feeling will probably fade as I start, but hopefully not), and I have spent the past few days ordering a bunch of stuff. I got cute sticky notes for my books because those solid colored ones depress me after using them throughout my 4-year undergrad experience. I also got a decorative planner, as well as review books for the NCLEX, and have even gotten around to starting to read my Pathophysiology textbook. However, I was wondering for clinicals, if any of you nursing students have gotten this Medpack, which I found on Pinterest, or something similar. It seems almost impossible to store EVERYTHING that you need for clinicals just in your scrub pockets, especially if you carry pocket notes, so I was wondering if you have found an easy way to carry the things you need in a convenient yet not-overly-cluttered way.

[NICU_Nightingale, BSN, RN]

A stethoscope cover is like a stretchy rubber encasing you put on your bell to cover it. I honestly don't know why you'd get one, maybe someone can inform me? I think it would make things even harder to hear and yes an infection issue.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

Maybe to prevent it from scratching? That's the only reason I could think of...

[smf0903]

There are decorative covers that slip on the length of your steth, like dogs/cats/giraffes/etc, I'd imagine more for those working in peds. Our bookstore also sells steth covers that cover the diaphragm of the steth to protect it from punctures.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

From a practicing nurse: black pen. dry erase marker. I carry bandage scissors. stethoscope. My informal paper that I use as a daily kardex-type (shredded at end of shift). We are allowed to carry our phones for apps and most everyone uses the light from the phone as a penlight. I put alcohol pads and a couple of flushes in my pockets. Less is more.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

There are decorative covers that slip on the length of your steth, like dogs/cats/giraffes/etc, I'd imagine more for those working in peds. Our bookstore also sells steth covers that cover the diaphragm of the steth to protect it from punctures.

I never had a stethoscope diaphragm punctured in all my life. Is somebody auscultating Dracula's teeth?

And those colorful cloth covers-- what's the point? To keep your steth clean? What about the germs you're carrying around on it? Do you wash it after every clinical, like your clothes? Yuck. Infection control people have been cracking down on those for years.

If you're worried about getting your steth dirty, swab it down with an alcowipe prn.

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

I use one of these: http://tinyurl.com/k9vkkmo . I like it for two reasons: first, it keeps the stuff I carry in it organized so I can always find it; second, it keeps my stuff all in one place at home so on clinical mornings, I grab my steth, my watch, my memo pad, and this. Pretty handy and it fits perfectly in the cargo pocket of my scrub pants! During clinicals, I lock my keys in the trunk of my car and just take my single ignition key with me, hanging it off the clip on the front. I also stick lunch money in the velcro pocket on the front. Your mileage may vary, but it works for me.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I don't see the covers much anymore.

[smf0903]

I never had a stethoscope diaphragm punctured in all my life. Is somebody auscultating Dracula's teeth?

And those colorful cloth covers-- what's the point? To keep your steth clean? What about the germs you're carrying around on it? Do you wash it after every clinical, like your clothes? Yuck. Infection control people have been cracking down on those for years.

If you're worried about getting your steth dirty, swab it down with an alcowipe prn.

Oh you get no argument from me on that!! I think the cloth covers are the equivalent of wearing the same scrubs day after day after day without washing them, yuck. I was told that some students punctured the diaphragm when they threw their stethoscope in their bag along with their books, etc. I just have a bag I put mine in to keep it separate from all my other stuff.

[smf0903]

I never had a stethoscope diaphragm punctured in all my life. Is somebody auscultating Dracula's teeth?

And those colorful cloth covers-- what's the point? To keep your steth clean? What about the germs you're carrying around on it? Do you wash it after every clinical, like your clothes? Yuck. Infection control people have been cracking down on those for years.

If you're worried about getting your steth dirty, swab it down with an alcowipe prn.

You get no argument from me on that!! :) I think the cloth covers are the equivalent of wearing the same scrubs day after day after day without washing them, yuck. I was told that some students punctured the diaphragm when they threw their stethoscope in their bag along with their books, etc. I just have a bag I put mine in to keep it separate from all my other stuff.

[rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I use one of these: http://tinyurl.com/k9vkkmo . I like it for two reasons: first, it keeps the stuff I carry in it organized so I can always find it; second, it keeps my stuff all in one place at home so on clinical mornings, I grab my steth, my watch, my memo pad, and this. Pretty handy and it fits perfectly in the cargo pocket of my scrub pants! During clinicals, I lock my keys in the trunk of my car and just take my single ignition key with me, hanging it off the clip on the front. I also stick lunch money in the velcro pocket on the front. Your mileage may vary, but it works for me.

Okay, I could see this though. This could hold everything I carried everyday in clinicals in one of my pockets and keep it organized. As it was for me, everything just floated in the bottom of my pocket and I had to go fishing every time I needed something. I may look into this now that I am working.

[Everline]

That medpack thing would be awesome to have. My pockets are FULL every clinical day and sometimes I have to empty them to find what I'm looking for. Drives me crazy. "I know there's a pen somewhere in here..." So yeah, I'd use one if I had it. *shrugs*

[Jenngirl34RN]

I would wait to see what your clinical instructor and/or the facility you will be in requires. I have had different instructors require different things, and one of the facilities I was at has scissors and hemostats at each patient bedside- there is no using the same pair for multiple patients. At another facility we had to carry our own scissors.

For the most part, my pockets usually consist of a small flip-style notebook, two pens, a sharpie, a highlighter, a penlight, and my phone. I also carry a handful of alcohol wipes, a couple of flushes, and a few caps for the ends of IV lines, but all of that I get from the hospital.