"Nursing Kits" at school

delirium · Sep 5, 2001

Essarge:

Wow. Relax. Take a few deep breaths. Hope there's a BP cuff in that kit so you can make sure you're not in a hypertensive crisis. Just kidding.

That does sound aggravating. The only thing I can think of is maybe they are trying to assure that everyone is at the same level? Sort of like uniforms in school... so there's not a huge disparity between those who purchase Littman cardio scopes (which, by the way, cost more than my first CAR) and those who have plain ol' sprague rappaports (I love mine... but then again, it wasn't the cheapest). So... if they chose the cheapest scope, why is the kit $95? Of course, at a university level there is disparity everywhere so I can't see that being the reason. Maybe its easier for them to teach you certain skills if you all have the same exact equipment? That doesn't make sense either.

All nursing schools seem to be an exercise in petty trifling details. You have to buy THIS from our store and you can only wear THIS and there will be no deviations. Ok... like I understand the no leopard print underwear under the white scrubs thing, but some of it is really silly and controlling.

Ok... have you asked why you need the kit? Why you can't buy other brands if you choose to spend your money to do so? Maybe they have a decent explanation for you.

For now, try some lavender aromatherapy......

God bless..... and remember what a small inconvenience this is. It helps to keep things in perspective.

MRed94 · Sep 5, 2001

I, too, was sucked into that trap. But, because I have a hearing disability, I was able to get a letter from my audiologist stating that the stethescope that they wanted us to use did not meet the requirements that I have for my quality of life, and that it was discriminatory to make me use something that I could not do my job with.....

Might there be something you could use in this way???

I went out an purchased the best cardiac scope I could afford, with the short tubes, and it was a life-saver!!!! Cost me more than the delivery of my first kid, but oh, so worth it......

Check it out. Good luck!

Marla:D

BrandyBSN · Sep 5, 2001

That really sucks! Our bookstore has them, but they cant make us buy them! We also dont wear uniforms, we wear scrubs. I bought my Littman Cardio III as soon as I put the sprague in my ears, i couldnt hear a thing out of it.

Here is my suggestion.... LIE. Say that your parents, DH, kids, whoever, got you the littman scope as a "back to school" present, and that they will be offended if you did not use it. Make up a sob story about how your family went without food for a month to be able to buy this for you, and it would seem so disrespectful for you not to use it, when they went through so much to get it to you.

That just seems unreasonable to me.

So glad my university doesnt do that!

essarge · Sep 5, 2001

ROFLMAO!!!! OMG, Brandy...that is hilarious!!! You always make me manage to at least giggle, but that one is a real "stitcher"!! LOL!

I'm going to go to the Dean (got to know her pretty well over the summer) and see if I buy this "kit" that they have, if I can just substitute my own.

The excuse that they gave me was that when students bought their own, allot of them "didn't work". Have you heard anything so ridiculous?????

Besides that, spragues kill my ears (have one hear at home that I hate, but came with hubby's BP cuff).

jschut, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2001

We have "nursing kits", but we use our own stethoscopes and things of that nature. I am glad, too. I want to learn using my own, that I choose. Not what someone chooses for me!

Good Luck!

Julie

PS Did you get my message about AOL?:)

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2001

What the heck else is in that kit?! A plain old sprague is certainly not that much--there must be other goodies too. Drag your feet about buying the kit. Get the littmann. Use your sprague during your skills lab at the school...then bring your littmann to the hospital for clinicals. If they really and truly won't let you use the littmann, save it...you can certainly use it after you graduate. If they insist on the stupid kit, fine get it. But wait until it is absolutely required.

Think about where you heard that it is required though. When I entered school there was an order form and it seemed you had to buy your scissors, quick reference guide, pocket organizer, etc. from the school. I called the school of nursing office and the office worker told me "oh, yes, it's required." Well, of course it wasn't. She was an office worker, what did she know?

Tell us what else is in that kit!

essarge · Sep 6, 2001

This was an instructor that told us this. I think that the school is getting money on the sales of these kits. I like your idea of using it for labs in school and bringing the littman with me to clinicals. What are they going to do, kick me out of the program because I didn't use their precious sprague for clinicals? HMMMMM....don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

shyviolet78, LPN, LVN · Sep 6, 2001

I haven't had to buy a stethoscope for school yet, but during nurse's aid training at my work, we all had to use the same kind--even if we already had our own. The reasoning behind it was that if we could hear what we needed to on the worst scopes, we'd definitely do fine on a good scope. Doesn't work the other way around though. What if you forget your scope at home or someone steals it halfway thru your shift (unfortunately it happens all the time on my floor) and you are forced to use whatever is available to get thru the rest of the day? At least this way, you and your instructors know you are doing the work and not your scope. Kind of the same principle as not being able to use a graphing calculator in college algebra. It would be alot easier, but if I'm ever without my calculator, would I be able to work out the problem?

Cindy_A · Sep 6, 2001

Geez! You guys get a stethoscope with your nursing kit? We have to purchase lab kits that have Foley supplies, trach care supplies, syringes, gloves, tape etc, and ours are going to cost over $120.00!!!!! At least we are allowed to use our own stethoscopes!

trishfish · Sep 6, 2001

WOW!! I can't believe you have to purchase THEIR stuff!!! My school is great because they try to help us AVOID our campus bookstore. They mark everything up so high. In fact my Micro teacher wrote our lab book and had it printed but let the bookstore sell them. They marked them up $5.00. My teacher went to the Dean and the prices were dropped. They changed our Uniforms this year but they went to a local uniform company that gave us a 25% discount. I personally will not buy anything from them. I buy all of my books online.

Tricia

RNforLongTime · Sep 6, 2001

Wow, essarge, I cannot believe that you HAVE to use that nursing kit! I have never HEARD of such a thing. I used a sprague scope in school too. It worked alright. I just find it hard to believe that a school of nursing decides what kind of stethoscopes you use. I say, tell them that you have already purchased a scope and that you cannot possibly affford the $95 kit. For that price, there better be a 24k gold brick in it!!