Do you use this?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

I don't see the covers much anymore.

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.

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.

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.

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*

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.

I agree with others on here... you don't necessarily need all that stuff. I just finished my first year of nursing school (going back for my second this fall!) and here's what I definitely needed: Stethoscope, penlight, paper pad (spiral notecards help for important info, too), a few pens (trust me, you'll forget it in someones room or loan it out, then will panic when you don't have one), small tape measure, and one pair of scissors. Depending on where you do your clinicals and how much of it your program does, I would also recommend a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff)... it's no big deal in the hospitals, as they usually have plenty of equipment... but in the nursing homes... EEEK! The couple of nursing homes we did clinicals at had maybe one or two cuffs - and when all the students and staff are looking for it at the same time (or someone holds onto it while doing their WHOLE physical assessment - or forgets it in someone's room) it can get to be pretty nerve-wracking if you're trying to get your vitals in by a certain time. You don't necessarily need a real fancy one, but it will definitely take some weight off your shoulders when you're already stressed out about getting everything in. Anyhow, Congratulations and good luck in your first year!

Oh yeah, and I DEFINITELY agree with jenngirl on the alcohol pads, I always keep a wad of those in my pockets :)