Nursing accessories for ER/ED?

CX_EDRN · Feb 24, 2018

I always have my stethoscope, trauma shears and a couple of pens on me. That's it. And by a couple of pens, I mean the janky ones I give to patients to sign things and my nice one that I will hunt the fool down that doesn't return it to me. I will usually stuff some flushes and extra angiocaths in one of my cargo pockets, but not always.

As for scrubs, I wear dickies pants because they're stretchy. My only requirement is that they move with me when I'm squatting down. I personally wouldn't spend money on fancy scrubs, they're just going to get covered in literal crap anyway. Good shoes and socks are a must though, when I forget to wear my compression socks (read: haven't done laundry in awhile) I am definitely feeling it a few hours in. Everything else is just a nice extra, in my opinion.

fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2018

I got raptors about 2 years into my ER experience. Yes, they're $65. But when you need to do an open thoracotomy on a trauma that just landed, they get the clothes off in a split second. They have been well worth it in my experience.

ED.RN. · Feb 25, 2018

I'm a new grad nurse in the ED and I always have a sharpie, a few pens, whiteboard marker, trauma shears, stethoscope, iv needles, and flushes in my pockets.

As far as other traits go, definitely the ability to just jump in all hands on deck when needed, help out coworkers, know what's going on with your patient and start to expect orders from the doc, be able to voice your concerns when a patient is truly sick, and I think the biggest thing (that i'm still trying to accept) is that you're not going to be perfect and not everything will always get done before shift change (i.e. I had two severe sepsis patients that both needed blood cultures, fluids, abx, etc. and it was already 6:30 when all the orders were being put in)

tech1000 · Mar 6, 2018

Figs are definitely not needed for ER nursing. ER nursing doesn't require more expensive scrubs than any other type of nursing. I wear a t-shirt and regular old scrub pants. No extra pockets or anything. I have a stethoscope and that's about it. If I need a pen light, I use the otoscope in the room. I keep trauma sheers in my bag at the desk and grab them if I need them- same with my stethoscope. I only walk around with a pen and my phone. Less things for people to grab on me.