so i recently went from a big city, teaching hospital where i was spoiled with, among other things, the latest equipment/machines, pcas, iv team, etc...and best of all
endless pen supplies for staff. :heartbeat
at my new small, dingy, community hospital - under the same health authority as above - the hospital is old, the equipment is old, pcas are available once in a blue moon, iv teams are unheard of, and everyone hoards whatever pen they have with their lives. you leave it unattended for 5 seconds and its gone.
most of my day is hunting for stupid pens. just today i lost three! three. i have no idea why the hospital does not supply it. it's not the price of the pens i'm upset about - i could get a dozen from the dollar store for a buck - but considering how much charting we do in a shift [] i really can't afford to waste precious time looking for **** pens all day.
anyway - i hope some of you can relate to how annoying this is. i just finished a night shift and instead of enjoying my cozy bed, i'm online trying to figure out how i can stop losing my darn pens and this is what i found:
pens with attached clips
have any of ever used them? the reviews i found were that they were cheap and broke easily. i shall keep on searching though until solve this problem of mine.
Still handcharting here....who has the best pens? I have gone through quite a few and I need to chart in small boxes and I WRITE BIG so I usually go over the lines when I line chart as well. I hate the gel pens. Any favorites you'd like to share?
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
obviously you are not addicted to pens!! looking for the perfect pen is a lesson each nurse learns. it must fit comfortably in your hand, must prevent hand cramping when charting and be the correct color. on occasion you find this perfect pen, when you do it's a fight to ensure it is never "borrowed" as it will probably never be returned. i personally carry 2 of my favorite pens (kept in my pockets), and a box of "give away" pens for those who never seem to have thier own. i have often seen others staring at my favorite pens as i write, i know they will take them if left unguarded. beware the pen thiefs!! they are out there and are coming for yours!!!!!
on the contrary. i have my favorite pens as well -- i just hang on to them!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
the dryer is out to get me. it destroys my chapsticks. the washing machine isn't any better because it dissolves the listerine breath strips i leave in my scrub top pockets. i open the washing machine and my laundry smells like vicks
at least it's only chapstick! i once lost a whole load of white uniforms to a stray lipstick that hid in my pocket. it survived the wash, but the dryer did it in!
I'm a pen fanatic too. That said, like Ruby Vee, I RARELY lose them! My current fave is the Pilot Precise V5 RT gel pen. I also like the BIC 4 color grip pen. I always have 4 or 5 in my scrub jacket pocket at all times. It's a rare occasion that I lose them.
I have found that buying funny/goofy pens seems to keep them coming back to me. I had a pen with Goofy ( disney) on it. I always got that one back. Normal pens I both lose and steal.
i need to get these. I seriously lost 3 pens as well just today... not to mention we have an endless supply of pens at work... it makes me so mad when I see people with my pens. I think I will have my name put on all of them
] i really can't afford to waste precious time looking for **** pens all day.
not to mention we have an endless supply of pens at work... it makes me so mad when I see people with my pens. I think I will have my name put on all of them
SandBetweenMyToes, BSN, RN
175 Posts
How ironic! I just read your post, and then I stumbled on this site (how to foil thieves from stealing your pen...quite humorous!!) Enjoy!
http://prankked.com/index.php/pranks/pen-prank/