Do you wear...

[jenpan]

..a nurses' lapel watch? What significance does it have for you? What kind of duties does it help you carry out? Do you value it for its practical or decorative purposes, or possibly sentimental? Is it common for nurses to recieve a lapel watch, or in modern hospitals are they rendered obsolete? Do you know of any historical information on lapel watches in general?

I'm a design student doing a little research into them, and have been unable to find much about them. I am interested in the practical use of them, as well as of any social or cultural significance (ie, the one I'm studying in particular is very feminine, which i find indicative of the time period in which it was made - while probably marketed as practical and professional, it was inseperable from the fact that the wearer was likely female)

Any information (anecdotal or otherwise) would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

no, that's great - i'm also interested in the role that timekeeping plays in your work life - i know it's very important, but would like to hear some of the reasons first hand (ie dispensing medication, checking pulse)

for those of you who wear wrist watches, is it an inconvenience when it comes to sanitation and hand-washing? i figure that's why the first lapel watches were marketed towards nurses to begin with.

in the UK a lapel watch is know as a fob or nurses watch.

wrist watches are banned in most hospital for staff due to infection control

I like my fob

[SixFive]

We have clocks in all the rooms, so watches are a no-need. I haven't worn one in 15 years. When I go on medical mission trips, however, I have to get used to wearing them again since clocks aren't a hot commodity. At home, never.

[missimae]

..a nurses' lapel watch? What significance does it have for you? What kind of duties does it help you carry out? Do you value it for its practical or decorative purposes, or possibly sentimental? Is it common for nurses to recieve a lapel watch, or in modern hospitals are they rendered obsolete? Do you know of any historical information on lapel watches in general?

I'm a design student doing a little research into them, and have been unable to find much about them. I am interested in the practical use of them, as well as of any social or cultural significance (ie, the one I'm studying in particular is very feminine, which i find indicative of the time period in which it was made - while probably marketed as practical and professional, it was inseperable from the fact that the wearer was likely female)

Any information (anecdotal or otherwise) would be much appreciated! Thanks!

I have worn a lapel watch, because the battery in a watch goes dead on me in about 15 minutes, and It's hard to find a wind up anymore.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

We have clocks in every room, but the placement isn't consistent, so I find myself looking around for it, plus I have to position myself next to the patient according to being able to see the clock, so I just use my own lapel watch. I know where to look, and I can position myself however is convenient for me.