Notes In Your Pocket

[nesje30]

Hello everyone,

I'm a nurse working on ICU for 2 years here in Belgium. I sometimes find it hard to remember all the things I think are important. Therefore, I carry a notebook in my pocket with important schedules for examples about PICCO, Swann-Ganz, medication, etc. I also carry a mini-compendium around.

My question is; how do you guys do this? Do you keep notebooks? What info do you keep in them?

Thank you

Vanessa

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I am not a nurse but I have seen pocket guides with RN or LPN notes.

[chaosRN, ASN, RN]

My PDA has everything I need for work on it.

[nesje30]

Appearently a lot of nurses have palmtops. However, this isn't used in Belgium, as it is pretty expensive and there isn't a lot of Dutch software available.

Pocket references in Dutch for the ICU don't exist as far as I know

[hrtprncss]

Notebook would be good, or a pocket critical care reference...In some cases where your co workers have a palm pilot then ask them, they'll be more than happy to help and show off the expensive palm. Personally I stopped carrying them, I've had bad experience with it. Getting it wet, crushed, running out of battery because it turns itself on while in my pocket and I'd be oblivious of it. By the time I take it out, no more batteries.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

what is PICCO?

[hrtprncss]

PiCCO - Pulse Contour Cardiac Output. Never really used it. Though I read up on it and it seemed like I have used it before when they were testing it for the hospital, it was only for a few times and it didn't fly. Some form of less invasive C.O. measurement but not like the Non-Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring system one's where leads are used

[pickledpepperRN]

I wear a fannypack with pens, hemostats, alcohol pads, other items and these - https://my.aacn.org/ecomtpro/timssnet/products/TNT_Products.cfm?StartPage=1&EndPage=3&PageNum=1&&action=short&format=table&product_class=POCREF&product_class_description=POCKET%20REFERENCES

https://my.aacn.org/ecomtpro/timssnet/products/TNT_Products.cfm?StartPage=1&EndPage=3&PageNum=2&&action=short&format=table&product_class=POCREF&product_class_description=POCKET%20REFERENCES

https://my.aacn.org/ecomtpro/timssnet/products/TNT_Products.cfm?StartPage=1&EndPage=3&PageNum=3&&action=short&format=table&product_class=POCREF&product_class_description=POCKET%20REFERENCES

I have all the adult ones and books in my locker. Plus my "brain" or report, reminder notes on a folded paper, one side per patient.

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

I have a small Critical Care reference book that I carry in my pocket--and I have had it for 7 years! It's tattered & torn with ragged edges but I have so many notes scribbled in it that I would be shattered if I lost it! I refer to it with some frequency--not every day but periodically.

I also have a host of reference books that I keep in my locker, just in case.

[my2sons]

I have critical care drug info card that attaches to my badge holder with my hospital's standard loading dose, concentrations, etc. Also, I keep the latest and greatest ACLS protocol information in my back pocket to scare away the evil spirits. The longer I have been a nurse, the less stuff I need to carry around. Also, it is so easy to access the internet now.