What do you carry your pens, tape, scissors, etc in?

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

I was wondering, what do you nurses out there carry your supplies in? You know what I mean. All those pens, tape, scissors, hemostats, alcohol wipes, EKG calipers, mini calculator, etc, etc, etc. Since I've been an RN (five years this August), I've always worn a scrub coat with pockets and carried all my loot in them. All that stuff gets pretty heavy after awhile and I've noticed that it's causing the pockets to rip off some of my jackets.

So, while I was at Wal Mart today, I bought one of those Fanny packs. Like the "nurses" on ER wear around their waists. Do any of you use these? What about the apron? Are they practical? Or should I continue to load up my pockets?

Thanks for your input,

Kelly:)

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I use all my pockets. Two in my scrub top and 2 in my warm up jacket. I don't hink I would like a fanny pak, but that's just me.

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

Well, I plan on taking some small trips this summer, so I'll definitely get some use out of it. If I don't like it, I'll only be out 6 bucks.

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I have a small "apron" with several pockets that I put most of my stuff in. My PDA is in a case on the belt for this. I have 2x2's, 16, 18 & 20 ga angiocaths, a couple of tegaderms, scissors (trauma and bandage), hemostats and a pen light in it. Plus a roll of tape on it. I have just about cleaned out my pockets. Pen up top, alcohol wipes, yellow sticky

pad in one cargo pocket and the rest are empty.

If you only carry what you really need, it can be narrowed down considerably.

bob

http://www.chicouniform.com/Nursing/Equiptment/accessories.htm

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My pockets. Don't like the lil' apron thingies. Cumbersome.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

my pockets, where else?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

If there arent pockets in it, and plenty of them, i dont buy it.

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Definately pockets and lots of them. Can't stand anything around my waist.

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I tried one of those fanny packs, couldn't stand it.. It just kept getting in my way. I already have enough of a tummy in front of me, why add even more to it! LOL!! I just use my pockets for my loot, and have my tape on my stethoscope, that keeps a little out of my pockets...

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I use a fanny pack, but I don't wear it. We all have over bed tables we use as our "office", w/the flowsheet clipboards (to fit the 11 x 25.5 flowsheets) on them. I try to get one w/a drawer; I need my planner, my camera, my cute little battery powered fan, and stuff that I unload from the fanny pack--scissors, 'stats, pencil, eraser, calculator, extra pens. I keep the fanny pack and my stethescope hanging off the thingy that raises and lowers the table. I hate having stuff around my neck. Oh, and my magic IV starting glasses. (Just some reading glasses from the drug store; I put them on TOP of my regular glasses for starting IV's and catheterizing babies--just try to find that meatus w/56y/o eyeballs, no way!) That's the system, such as it is. The babies have a lot of stuff in the drawers of their beds, and there are supply carts all over the place, so usually everything else is not that far away. I do know one nurse that keeps a stash of rubber bands (touniquets) in a cute little zippered pouch in her pocket.

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I used the bigger type of belt with the pockets. It was the most comfortable for me. When I kept all my stuff in my pockets, my shoulders started getting sore, and the pockets wore/tore out.

People teased me about it at first, but when I was the one that didn't have to run for that tegaderm, and I never lost a pen or calipers or hemostat, I started seeing them on some other nurses as well. Tim the tool-man nurse Dennie, that's me.

Love

Dennie

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

First you repair the pockets you rip with stuff catching on drawers. The designated way is with a stapler and white silk tape. (Is there any other means :) )

The (clean) hemostats go on your lab jacket front near the snaps. The fanny pack I wear on my left hip. It looks funny but feels just right. I keep a ziplock bag with the less frequently used stuff in my left pants pocket. Steth. around my neck or in the holster if I remember it. Big old trauma scissors have a clip left over from an ID badge and they're clipped onto the fannypack belt. Works for me for my mobile self.

Then I went to the dollar store and bought a yellow plastic basket. It looks like a bucket with windows in the side. The extra stuff goes in that. You know more gloves, extra tape measure etc. Money etc goes in a coin purse in my pocket.

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