My pockets are overflowing!

[jsu102]

Ok, this is a silly question, but where do you carry all of your supplies for the day?

I always have hemostats, trauma shears, small scissors, tape, notepad, palm pilot, sharpies, pen, highlighter, & alcohol wipes with me in my pockets and my pockets feel like they have boulders in them! Where else can I put things to manage my load a little easier?

[TexasPediRN]

Two Words:

Cargo Pants.

And, get a pocket organizer such as this:

http://www.webmedbooks.com/mesa/content/productdetail.aspx?upc=11b3c09c-6484-449f-bb8e-d4a617540f16

It keeps everything organized in one pocket, and you can carry your palm in the other.

Then you still have your scrub pockets free for whatever else you need.

[Megsd, BSN, RN]

One trick is to put your roll of tape on your hemostats, clip your hemostats to the bottom of your scrub top, and put your scissors/shears through the tape the other way.

And yes, cargo pants rock.

[NewEnglandRN, RN]

Oh my goodness... I can COMPLETELY relate! Now, I make sure the scrub tops I buy have two front pockets. I love the Urbane scrub pants, but they only have one back pocket and I look horrible in cargo pants

I always carry my scissors, a hemostat, Palm Pilot, 2 black pens, red pen, yellow highlighter, black sharpie, penlight, alcohol pads, report sheet, several 5 cc NS flushes, a few 10 cc flushes, mints and a few dollars for the vending machine. Tape goes on my stethoscope tubing around my neck.

I recently bought a scrub top with one 'kangaroo' pocket in the center. BIG mistake... by the end of my shift, I looked several months pregnant.

My only recommendation is to get in the habit on putting the same items in the same pocket. This cuts down on searching through pockets throughout your shift!

[nightmare, RN]

I live in cargo pants at home.I don't wear them to work though as I find that,if you have stuff in the leg pocket it is just where you lean that leg on the bed and it is uncomfortable.I do have two large pockets in my tunic though.In there I keep report notebook,two scissors,three pens(g2's) two torches,one for seeing and one for examinations,key chain,two sets of keys,and various other necessities I might need overnight

[Surgical_RN08]

my preceptor put hemostats and tape clipped to the side of my pants. we keep flushes and wipes locked in the pts med box inside the room. one multicolored pen in one pocket but i always keep a few wipes in my pocket just in case, and my hospital phone. scissors and miniture calculator in the other. my keys for the PCAs and med box are kept on my name badge. i also have a miniture keychain sharpie on my badge. i always buy everything miniture if possible.

[RN4Ever_2008]

I love my pocket organizer (like the one shown in the link)! There is room for everything - carpujet, chapstick, gum, alcohol wipes, 2 pairs of sissors... you name it). I highly recommend, it's worth it.

[DreamingTree]

Ditto on the pocket organizer -- LOVE IT. I can jam a lot of necessities in mine, which leaves my other pocket open for my palm, alcohol wipes, & temporary pocket stuffers (flushes, meds to waste, etc.). Plus, I carry a clipboard for my papers -- helps me stay organized.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

I just have a pen, penlight and sharpie in my pocket. For the rest of the junk it stays in my nurse bag.

[mcknis]

I have a clipboard that opens up that I can hold extra stuff in. I keep ETOH pads, 2x2s and blue caps for IVs in a biohaz bag for lab specimens. I've tried carrying a Palm but it is just too heavy for me.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I have a binder that I keep my plan of cares, my report sheets, and a list of important numbers(especially my unit's outside line number...I was paging docs with the number of my old job..whoops!)

My pockets usually have a few IV flushes, a few alcohol wipes, a dry-erase marker, bandage sissors, pens, and highlighters/sharpies....they are big, but do the job. My scrub pocket always has my med book(1000 common meds and every med I've looked up has been in it)...

Overall though, my pockets aren't toooo bad. It's my scrub top that gets full!

[akana11]

Love cargos.