Ranch dressing in a breast milk container

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We nurses are a pretty resourceful bunch.

I work in NICU, where we have ample containers laying around to collect and store expressed breast milk. Last week a friend sat down next to me for lunch, opened her lunch box, and pulled out a breast milk container full of a viscous, milky-white substance.

"Is that...What is that?" "Oh, no," she reassured me, "it's just ranch."

So I'm wondering, AN, what ways you've incorporated medical supplies into your daily life? Here are mine:

1. Gloves: Always. Every time I clean my house or have to kill a bug, and often when I cook raw meat. I figure that if the Joint Commission says these gloves provide sufficient protection for me to stick my finger up the rectum of a C Diff patient, then I must be safe to stick my hand down a drain or into the toilet. My gloves make me feel invincible to household grime and nastiness.

2. Shoe covers: I bought a box to cover up my shoes when I travel to prevent my clothes from getting grimy.

3. Scalpels: Haven't actually done this yet, but thought they might be helpful for crafting (i.e. cutting out intricate designs from vinyl).

4. Syringes: Haven't actually done this myself, but I've heard of people throwing wild parties and using syringes to shoot shots into peoples' mouths. Anybody up for a party?

So how about you?

Disclaimer: Don't steal these items from your employer or you could get fired! For better or worse, you can buy just about any medical supply you want from Amazon!

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Specializes in PCT, RN.

I'm a huge advocate for wearing gloves while doing household chores (ahem, cleaning the kitty litter!)

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Went to a party where someone had made jello shots in syringes (purchased from a medical supply store- still surprised they didn't require a script).

A lot of the drapes/table covers/sponges/basins that are from either expired supply packs or those used in training for mock setups when training new OR folks go home for cleaning and painting supplies.

Some of those setups include small cups with lids that then become part of lunch packing supplies.

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A specimen cup is also great for salad dressing!

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Anyone remember those tiny clear plastic medicine cups they used to have about 30 years ago?

Mom brought home a huge bag of them from the hospital. We used a hot nail and poked a small brad in the bottom of each one, then put a push-pin through it and put it on round styrofoam ball and then brushed it with glue and sprinkled it with glitter as a Christmas project.

Oh, then there was always syringes brought home around Christmas for filled doughnuts.

Leftover blood on plants! Yes, that was brought home all the time..before HIV of course.

PS: To the younger nurses reading this...it is now why you have a Pyxis and Omnicell

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Little alcohol wipes.

I know it is cheaper to get a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a package of cotton, but the little square packets are more convenient and easier to carry in your purse; they come in handy in lots of ways!

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

When a family member graduated from nursing school I got some great supplies off the internet.I filled an enema bag which a high ABV punch for shooters.I put hello shots in those one ounce med cups.I had a florist make a centerpiece in a pink bedpan(her signature color),also put bouquets in a couple of urinals....Was great fun

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care-Family Medicine.

I have done the shots out of the syringes before. It actually works out pretty good...

You can make badge clips out of the vial caps. We have a cup collecting the discarded vial caps at my work.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Sorry...I'm still trying not to yak over the ranch dressing in the breast milk container.

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Specializes in PCT, RN.
Sorry...I'm still trying not to yak over the ranch dressing in the breast milk container.

LOL!!

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I really think a scapel would be perfect for carving out mushrooms to stuff them!

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I've bought isolation gowns in the past. They are helpful when taking your pet to the vet, and holding your pet down for shots or whatever. Keeps cat hair off of my clothes.

They're also good to wear when spray-painting.

Also, I use gloves for everything around the house.

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