Vitals during the night shift

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I start my ADN program September 3rd. I currently work as a PCT on an Infant and Children's unit. While I have been excellent at getting my vitals at night respirations become an issue sometimes. I hate putting the light on and I can't stand to keep checking the clock while straining my eyes in the dark. Anyone have anything that beeps in intervals of 15? Back in the day our old thermometers used to do that, but the new ones don't. Our vitals get done 8p, 12a, and 4a during my shift. I don't have a digital watch, but I was thinking that may be my only option. I just hate wearing watches because of all the hand washing. So if anyone has any other products they may have I would greatly appreciate any product recommendations.

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Keep a watch with a lighted face in your pocket instead of wearing it. Just pull it out when taking your vitals.

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Specializes in Oncology, Critical Care.

a wrist watch is required for nursing school. get one, and start loving it because its very important. I actually lose some respect when a fellow nursing student has to ask me to borrow my wrist watch, its not professional.

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a wrist watch is required for nursing school. get one and start loving it because its very important. I actually lose some respect when a fellow nursing student has to ask me to borrow my wrist watch, its not professional.[/quote']

Our watch is considered part of our uniform and we get sent home if we don't have it. There are things in nursing you HAVE to have a watch for (taking a 60 sec apical pulse) so go on and get one. Get used to wearing it.

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I use a clippy book light clipped to my shirt, extremely useful to get a good look at pts and not disturb much. Great for extra light when inserting a cath even with all lights on. With it clipped to my shirt it doesnt require a hand.

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RNmo that is the greatest idea! I never thought of that! I just got my license & will probably end up working night shift, so I'm definitely going to throw my clippy light in my nursing bag!

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I always attached my watch to my shirt (at the same level you'd wear a nametag) with a safety pin. That way I could count respirations and see the watch at the same time, and not have to worry about it when washing my hands.

I'm sure there are watches that light up in the dark you could use.

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a wrist watch is required for nursing school. get one, and start loving it because its very important. I actually lose some respect when a fellow nursing student has to ask me to borrow my wrist watch, its not professional.

Our program we CANNOT wear watches (or any jewelry for that matter) because the hospital does not allow nurses to wear them because of disease transmission. All of the rooms have clocks over the bathroom door, so we turn the light on in the bathroom and crack the door, it works perfectly for us.

Some of my classmates have watches that clip to their scrubs, I am pretty sure they said they got them at a sporting goods store

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Specializes in retired LTC.
a wrist watch is required for nursing school. get one, and start loving it because its very important. I actually lose some respect when a fellow nursing student has to ask me to borrow my wrist watch, its not professional.
Would you believe that there are some nurses who don't have watches either??? Go figure...

To OP: you can sometimes use the bathroom light. After so many years on nite shift, I think I have cat's eye vision and can see in the dark. Really you do need lite. I've seen neck-wrap nite-lites - they look like stethoscope tubings with lites on the end. They just hang around your neck like your 'scope. Seen them in catalogues.

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Our watch is considered part of our uniform and we get sent home if we don't have it. There are things in nursing you HAVE to have a watch for (taking a 60 sec apical pulse) so go on and get one. Get used to wearing it.

Where I work we are not allowed to wear watches due to infection control policies. Clocks are found on the walls in the rooms for counting, so not every facility requires a watch. Some, like mine, require you not to have one.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Our watch is considered part of our uniform and we get sent home if we don't have it. There are things in nursing you HAVE to have a watch for (taking a 60 sec apical pulse) so go on and get one. Get used to wearing it.

We would earn the wrath of infection control if we wore a wrist watch to work.Most nurses have no watch where I work. Every room has a clock.I usually carry a little flashlight.

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I have a digital nurses watch, I know you can get some with glow in the dark hands on the (although I don't know how effective they are.

I also wonder whether it would be acceptable to use a smart phone with a timer function on it or not.

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