Unit Keys - Where do you keep them on yourself?

MrChicagoRN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

My left hand pant or front hip pocket is dedicated to unit keys. That way when I reach in I'm not fumbling around with anything else

Whispera, MSN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

In pocket that has nothing else in it, on a ring that's easy to grab quickly.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

Like Chicago and Whispera, I keep mine in a dedicated pocket.

IMO it's better to pocket the keys than to wear them, since the last thing you want to do is be dangling keys in front of a patient who really doesn't want to be there.

Midwest4me · Dec 27, 2012

We don't wear scrubs at our psych hospital; we wear casual clothes like jeans and t-shirts. My keys are attached to a lanyard; the lanyard is attached to a carabiner and the carabiner is hooked to a belt loop of my jeans.

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Dec 27, 2012

I used to put mine on a plastic bungee cord clipped to a belt loop and drop them in my right front pants pocket. That way, if I needed them in a hurry, just pull on the cord.

HollyBSNtoNP · Dec 30, 2012

I worked in hospital where it wasn't uncommon for the clients to become assaultive. Employees had to scan their badges to get access the different units and keys were used for the nurses station and the med rooms. I kept my badge on a lanyard around my neck, which was required. My keys I kept on one of those spiral bracelet key chains around my upper arm. I would never wear my keys on my wrist as it was fairly easy for the patients to pull it off from there.

mikenmim · Jan 2, 2013

Keys should be on a ring and kept in your pocket, out of sight of patients. On my unit, we are required to wear an ID badge. This is also the magnetic key for access/egress to the unit. A lanyard is not permitted unless it is a "break away", supposedly for staff's safety. Not an ideal situation as patients have come to me with staff ID's left in their rooms and asked what to do with them. Simple solution? Disable staff keys to access/egress and assign that function to a single person in a secure area.

IowafemaleRN · Jan 4, 2013

I wear mine on one of those strechy things? around my upper arm. We don't have a set way to carry them so every one is different with what they do. I have never had anyone try to grab mine yet, been in MH for almost 10 years. Really if they wanted they could just grab my clip on badge off of me since both keys or badges work on the doors.

302queen · Feb 26, 2013

mine are usually scrub pants pocket we can also have to use a breakaway for our id if we put it around our neck. i however use a nifty id holder thing that allows me to put it around my upper arm.