"How did that get there?"

[TheNGTKingRN]

What's the worst thing you've found in your scrub top/bottom pockets upon arriving home.

Meds? Syringes? Alcohol Pads? Medipore Tape? Insulin Vial?

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

I had a staple the other week. That I removed from someones scalp. It flew somewhere as I was getting it off the staple remover and I had no idea where. And then I found it as I am a really good pocket checker now I've washed mobile phones, kleenex, missed dulcolax supp, etc.

[APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I cannot count the times I would get home from work in the morning, feel the extra weight in the pocket of my scrubs and find the narc keys in there. Having ‘grown up' as a nurse in the rural Midwest, I always had at least an hour's drive to get to work. There was few worse things than being dead tired and having to deal with the bright sunlight all the way there and back to return the keys, and then having to turn around and work again that night.

I would like to give a shout out to the person who invented key code access to the narc drawer.

Dear Key code access inventor,

My life as a nurse has improved vastly since your invention. I cannot tell you how many times I almost contributed to the job security of an ER nurse while driving at breakneck above the speed limit to return the narc keys to the facility where I was employed.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely

®Nurse

[klone, MSN, RN]

Condoms.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Condoms.

Used or unused?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Used or unused?

Unused. But I've helped pull used ones out before. They go right into a sealed specimen cup and in the trash, not in my pocket.

[MSNMBA]

I one time pulled out a tubex of Morphine when I got home, I was mortified! I now tape narcs to be wasted on my top where I can see it and remind myself to waste appropriately with a witness. I always wonder what would happen if I am detained for some reason while going home and these things are 'discovered' by law enforcement. My new behavior assures that this will never happen!

[ClaraRedheart, BSN, RN]

MSMBA I did something similar as a new nurse. Now I have a "med pocked" NO meds go in my pocket unless they are ones that I intend to return. Right pants pocket is exclusively for that purpose. I pat it frequently and especially before I leave to ensure that nothing remains. When I was brand new and in Versant, I dumped my handful of pocket stuffs into a bowl in my locker. I did not realize at the time that I had forgotten to return a Lyrica. I had a safety report filed against me. Lucky for me, it was still in my locker and I was able to return it. NEVER again!

[angeloublue22, BSN, RN]

A patient pooped and jumped over the counter head first at the same time. Psych unit. We called him superman. He would do it without warning and I tried to stop him from head hitting his head. I didn't realize I have a little poop on my shoulder until I got home. Poop is very stylish for nurses.

[caseyuptonurse]

I thought this was going to be a thread about the interesting things we've found in and on patients. Mine was going to be when I went to go see a very thin hospice patient at his home and rolled him to check his skin and found a roast beef sandwich under his bum that looked like it had been there at least overnight... As far as I remember he wasn't even eating solids, so where it came from we'll never know.

Lol! I had a similar situation happen like this. I had to change a dressing to a pretty bad sacral pressure ulcer... And this patient was always fidgeting with his dressing and sometimes pretty confused. It was a pretty large dressing that we were using for him as well... I went to take off the old dressing and no lie there was a cookie under his dressing attached to the sacral ulcer. I am almost died. Hahaha.

But as for my pockets I've only taken home a ton of alcohol wipes, syringes, and occasionally medication reorder slips.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

I wouldn't say alcohol pads or tape would fall under a "worst" heading. I do a thorough pat down before I leave work---an outsider could get the wrong idea if they saw me doing it =)

What's the worst thing you've found in your scrub top/bottom pockets upon arriving home.

Meds? Syringes? Alcohol Pads? Medipore Tape? Insulin Vial?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I had a post-op open heart kid barf a mixture of Pringles, Gummi Bears and chocolate milk in my scrub jacket pocket once. Very neatly, too. I could not get a co-worker to stop laughing long enough to HELP ME OUT OF THE JACKET though.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I found an 18 gauge lab draw needle, that was opened. Not placed there by me.