So what would you all suggest...

[NurseKitten, MSN, RN]

I'm a month away from finishing my didactic, and starting my clinicals.

One of the things I made it a point to do in my previous jobs was have a "bag of tricks". Things you might never need, but if you do, you do NOT have time to explain to someone how to find something so obscure.

Or things that should technically be there, but often aren't.

Do any of you carry such a bag, and if so, what's in it?

My instructors keep preaching to us to be prepared and think things through...which is exactly what I learned to do, years ago, as a brand new, extremely green nurse in a hemodialysis unit.

I have a list I've been keeping for about 6 months now, but before I share, let's see what kind of things y'all suggest - I really appreciate it and thank you in advance for your help!

[oslogirl]

Hi. It's been awhile since clinicals, but I remember some key things to help get me through:

Hard plastic storage type clipboard. It opened up with a compartment to keep my scope, scissors, clamp, tape, laminated card with lab values, EKG interpretation card, extra black pens, small notepad, penlight, and thta's all I can remember. I hope this helps.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

yellow highlighter, PDA with drug reference book and other nursely things on it, or drug reference book, granola bars...

since you're in CRNA school....how about a narcotic equivalence chart?

[NurseKitten, MSN, RN]

Thanks for the suggestions, OsloGirl. :)

Here's some things I had come up with on my own:

1)Extra bougie.

2)Extra laryngyscope bulbs and batteries - lithium, so they're MRI-compatable.

3)One of those small, squat LED-flashlights to provide extra light in case of a power failure, but also to transilluminate a child's hand/arm if I can't get a line in.

4)Tape measurer (I've had that one since my days in dialysis)

5)My Leatherman tool

6)Cuff pressure gauges for my ETT

7)A couple of #3 ETT adapters (is that the right size...I can't remember if that's the one that universally fits)

Y'all get the idea. Things that should be there, but often aren't.

I will have everything OsloGirl suggested and then some...my Blackberry has Epocrates, and I'm about to download a couple of other programs I've heard are helpful. Our peds instructor suggested a good one yesterday.

I just hate the thought of being unprepared for any eventuality. I know it'll happen, and I'll get better at predicting what I'll need with experience, but I want to try and be as ready as I can be, now, going in.

[Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA]

Don't get too bogged down. The clipboard idea is good. Some type of drug manual (people are on all kinds of things and there are 10 different names for them all!) The boojie is a great idea. Drug doses sheet. Sometimes you give the same drugs over and over and the ones you don't use as often, you can't remember the dose. Battery for nerve stimulator (always goes dead).

Don't carry the clipboard to each bedside, you'll look like a geek and it get contaminated from pt to pt. Have it near your anesthesia cart, accessible.