Fall 2011 students, what do you have so far?

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Hi all,

So I am starting nursing school this fall, and am finding that I feel like I am behind. HAHA! So I was wondering how you are preparing for school? What have you bought so far? Books? Equipment? Anything you would like to share.

I will start:

Stethoscope (Cardiology III, Littmann)

Penlight (Just bought yesterday, Streamlight Stylus) and a Free Penlight pen from work (Back-up)

Nurse Mates Shoes for clinical

Tabers Dictionary (Required book)

An AWESOME!! Planner

Math for Meds |(Required book)

Davis Drug Guide for Nurses (Reqired book)

Mosby's Pharmacology Memory Note Cards

Mosby's Pathophysiology Memory Note Cards

2-3" Binders one for A&P 1&2 and one for the rest hahaha

Pens (Easy one, I am a pen Klepto, really easy! :lol2:)

Extra this loose leaf paper

Normally I love the spiral bound paper, but was advised that I need loose leaf paper, because we get so many handouts, it is impossible to keep organized. The main reason I hated loose leaf paper was because I always write so hard, and I tend to see my writing on the other side. This was so annoying, and wasted too much paper writing single sided. A friend of mine introduced me to heavy loose leaf paper. :eek: The absolute best paper ever, even sharpies don't show through.

So this is my freak-out so far hahaha. How are you coming along?

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Specializes in Med/Tele.

Well I wouldn't buy too much more bc you will find that alot of the stuff on the "list" you don't even need til half way through the program! ha A couple things you didn't list though: Medical scissors, bp cuff, and if u want a tape recorder :)

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My issue is funds, I am working right now and can afford things now, half-way through the program, money is bye bye, and only really enough for basic stuff hahaha. Within reason of course. Next on ym list is definitely bp cuff and scissors, but that is next payday hahaha. Now is mainly the waiting game for my official course textbook list. Eugh, I hate waiting HAHAHA!

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Specializes in Critical Care / ICU.

You might not need this right off the bat, but as you progress into your clinicals, I would get:

1. A second hand watch that can handle some light abuse, and water for all the hand-washing. Also I would make sure the wristband is plastic or a light weight nylon for easy drying and cleaning. use cavi-wipes to wipe mine down.

2. A good pear of trauma sheers (scissors). I carry them with me all the time at work and at clinicals. People ALWAYS come to me asking to borrow them. I use them all the time for bandage changes, wound care dressings, changing or removing patient id bands, etc.

3. A pair of hemostats. Once again, I carry them with me all the time and people come to me to use them. They are handy to use when you need to loosen IV tubing that someone put on way too tight, or you just need more torque for something too small for your fingers.

4. A good fine point marksalot marker. You can use these to date, time and initial dressing changes, labeling tubing on IVs, tube feeds, or even mark pedal pulses on a patient if they are hard to find, or require doppler. Just some ideas.

Other than that I think you got everything else down pat.

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Awesome Advise!!! Thank you. I am sure every student in my boat will appreciate this as much as I do. Now to google hemostat :lol2::lol2::lol2:

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I have been getting things a little at a time. So far I have all my required books, drug guide, stethoscope, bandage scissors, hemostats, penlight, and small calculator. Still planning to get a care plan book, medical dictionary, lots of index cards and other supplies (pens, highlighter, etc.) as well as uniform, shoes and labcoat. Holy cow I guess I better get busy - lol. I have about 5 more weeks to get that done.

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Specializes in Critical Care / ICU.

Ohh yeah, and 1 last piece of advise, I always make sure I carry carmex, burts bees wax, or vicks nasal inhaler when I am in clinicals. I do not fear any body fluid that comes out of my patient, heck I signed up for that, but I find that when I know its going to be a big stinker, these help me get through it. I just use my finger (clean of course) to put a little at the base of my nostrils and BAM, I smell carmex, burts bees wax or vicks nasal spray instead of that wonderful C-Dif, or tube feeding bowel movements, or better yet, lady partsl birth smells during my OB rotation.

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So far all I have is 2 polos, 2 khakis (for our lecture classes, its our uniform), scrub top, highlighters and note cards, crocs work shoes, I have ordered a kit with my penlight, clipboard/calc combo, bandage scissors, tri color pen, bp cuff, 2 pair scrub pants and whatever else the SNO at my school suggested. I haven't ordered my scope yet, but I shall soon. I still have a little more than 30 days until school starts. For now I have been running around getting my son everything he needs for school, that starts in 2 weeks! :cry: He's starting kindergarten. I'm happy but also sad lol.

Anyway I still need to get my books, but I have a lot of financial aid so everything should be covered at the bookstore. Gotta get hemostats and another scrub top and some more scrub pants. I may need another polo for school, not sure yet. I am not sure when we need a lab coat. We are supposed to get the things we ordered next month at our second orientation. I also need to get the nursing central app for my phone or ipod so I can carry it around with me during clinicals.

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I should not have read that while eating my ice cream. I am now done!:eek: Thanks for the tip though!

Anyways, I have everything they required already.

I have:

Steth

BP cuff

2 pairs of hemostats

trauma sheers

gait belt

goggles

penlight

watch

and my uniforms

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Oh, and my books, notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighter, calculator

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Specializes in Critical Care / ICU.

I use the following apps on my iphone too. They are great for quick reference in a jam.

MD ezLabs - Free

Epocretes - Free

Critical Care - 5.99 but I promise worth every penny.

These help me to not have to carry my big huge drug book, and our big Lab and diagnostic book.

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I use the following apps on my iphone too. They are great for quick reference in a jam.

MD ezLabs - Free

Epocretes - Free

Critical Care - 5.99 but I promise worth every penny.

These help me to not have to carry my big huge drug book, and our big Lab and diagnostic book.

Is the Critical Care by informed publishing?

Sounds like you are all well on your FEET!

I have definitely added hemostats to my list hahaha.

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