nicu pocket gear

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Nov 27, 2006

I usually carry only a few things, and here they are:

Pens, chapstick

hemostat and scissors, ETOH swabs

cheat card with NRP drugs/doses

Tootsweet oral sucrose vials.

I usually keep a Neofax/calculator/Care of the Sick Neonate on my desk where I chart.

I'm weird, and hate excess crap in my pockets. I try to keep it to a minimum.

Hope this helps!

Stevern21

palesarah · Nov 27, 2006

I carry lip balm & Tums. Everything I need to care for the babies is available for us at the bedside, and I make sure I have a pen at each bedside when I start my shift (luckily, the unit is well stocked with pens!) I usually have some hand cream with me too, but I don't keep it in my pocket.

I hate having stuff weighing down my pockets.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2006

We don't have stethescopes at each bedside, so we all have our own and swab them with alcohol between patients. In our pockets we usually have: pens, pencil, highlighter, calculator, scissors, and a hemastat. Each bedside is stocked with everything else we'd need, including antibacterial hand gel, alcohol, betadine, gauze, tape, and IV supplies so we don't have to carry that around.

Personally, I also carry lip balm, gum, and Tums.

adrienurse, LPN · Nov 27, 2006

I guess you have to have a special steth with a very small head and bell.

preemieRNkate, RN · Nov 27, 2006

I usually have just a pen and some $ in my top pocket (I one time made the mistake of carrying the $ in my pants pocket and got puked on. When I changed pants, I lost $20 in the soiled scrub machine, so now I only carry a few $ and I keep it in my top!) I have a little Vera Bradley cosmetic case that I use to keep extra pens, scissors, hemostats, etc plus the chapstick and gum in. I usually will leave that on the bedside table in the room or on one of the shelves nearby. If I'm on call for the DR or I'm on transport for the night, I usually keep a few ETT tapes in my pocket (we cut tapes from Elastoplast tape and Duoderm).

I use a Littman Classic II Infant steth. There are others out there, but this is what most of my coworkers use. We have our own that we wipe down between babies.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2006

-chapstick and gum

-pens/pencils/highlighter/sharpie

-scissors

-calculator

-usually end up with some of the pre-filled sucrose syringes in my pocket .... which end up being a lifesaver at times

I hate carrying my stethoscope around with me and usually I don't because all my babies are in one pod ...... so I just leave it laying around in my pod.

NicuNightRN · Nov 27, 2006

*chapstick (most important item in my pocket!!!)

*pen and sharpie

*scissors

*hemastat

*elastic band for my hair

*calculator

Our babies each have a cart at their bedside with everything we could possibly need - alcohol swabs, IV supplies, sucrose, etc., so I don't worry about carrying that stuff around - I just have to make sure the cart is stocked when I get to work, since the previous shift doesn't always do so! Each baby also has their own stethoscope, we don't carry our personal ones around.

Zippedodah · Nov 28, 2006

Chapstick

pens/highlighter/pencil

scissors

calculator

alcohol wipes

small penlight

I clip my hemostat on my jacket with a roll of tape on it.

walkingrock, ADN · Nov 28, 2006

i personally like to have everything i need on my body! we do have stethescopes at the babie's bedsides, but many of them are crappy...so i like to use mine, plus, i have this thing about the earpieces going from ear to ear, it's kinda like a toothbrush to me. i carry my littman pediatric (i find this is a better overall size than the neonatal, have used each for a number of years) stethescope in my cargo pocket on pants leg. wouldn't want to leave it lying around and have someone make off with it, and i rarely let anyone use it, especially the docs! :nono: i wear a nursing "toolbelt" most of the time. i'd prefer not to, as it's more comfortable and better looking without it, but i keep needing stuff that isn't readily available, when i don't wear it, and i miss it. i carry:

treo 650 with neofax on it and has calculator

lipbalm

tiny brush and compact mirror

pkt of oral breath-freshening strips

a metal toothpick

lactaid chewable tablets (for when i have to have chocolate)

tiny bandage scissors and tiny kelly clamp

sometimes i wear my pedometer!

cord clamp cutter

alcohol wipes

small kitchen timer (for timing my break)

black ballpoint pen (although they supply, i like mine!)

red ballpoint pen

yellow highlighter

black permanent ink sharpie

mechanical pencil

the latest nrp pocket cheat card

tape cut for ett and stuck to a package

some papers for taking report on (i made up my own)

a form for filling out, if i'm the person going to l & d for high risk deliveries

eraser

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2006

Wow! I'm with "my people" now! How reassuring.

I have the following on my person:

ID holder with mini calculator attached via keychain

(both ID and calculator are attached to pull-string for easy use)

Pocket organizer in left pocket with:

Black pen

Red pen

Mini Sharpie marker

Cord clamp cutter

Tiny tape measure (3 inches long, for wound estimating)

Bandage scissors

2 Hemostats

Roll of Micropore tape

Alcohol wipes

Saline wipes

2 small Tegaderm dressings at all times

*Sounds a little bulky, and is, but neatly organized and essential so I don't have to run all over finding those little things!

In my right pocket:

Cinnamon gum

Cheat-sheat index cards on keyring for memory jogging

(also includes important phone numbers, formulas, etc.)

Additional black pen

(1st one is backup, this one is the one I always reach for)

Also:

Stethoscope, clipped somewhere (waistband, pocket, etc.)

Whew.

rainy scarlett · Nov 28, 2006

~I wanna be a NICU nurse, I guess I will have to stock up on chapstick...seems like it got the most votes!! ~