What Does My 2022-2023 Wishlist Need?

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Specializes in ER/School/Rural Nursing/Health Department.

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What are some of the things you have in your health room that you can't live without?  Not the normal bandaids, Tylenol, peppermints, and ice packs.  But the stuff you didn't realize you'd use all the time and love/kids love.  Or specific brands/types of your everyday use things that the kids enjoy, make your life better, or add to the school nursing experience.

Its the time of the year where I get to put in my "wish lists" for the health room and I'm looking for things that other school nurses love and can't live without ?

Population I serve: My schools are small rural K-12 with between 150-200 students.  I'm at 3 different schools one day a week each.  My few complicated kids are 3 with DM1, migraine sufferers, lots of anxiety/depression, and ADHD.  Otherwise its run of the mill bug bites, musculoskeletal injuries in PE/Recess, seasonal allergies, colds, etc.

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Specializes in kids.

Stress balls, a rocking chair, small ice machine  are just a few

 

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Specializes in ER/School/Rural Nursing/Health Department.
14 minutes ago, NutmeggeRN said:

Stress balls, a rocking chair, small ice machine  are just a few

 

I would LOVE one of those table top ice machines... 

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Specializes in pediatrics, school nursing.

calamine lotion, scent-less regular lotion, Splinter-Outs, tooth necklaces, vaseline, eye wash, aloe vera gel, Zanful poison ivy cream!

Those are the treatments I use the most - maybe you've already put those on your general first aid list.

I also love a good antiseptic hand soap and hibiclens - it's so gentle and I haven't had a single complaint of wounds stinging when using it, as long as you are also gentle with your cleansing. I feel like it does a really great job of debriding abrasions without a lot of pressure! 

 

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Specializes in ER/School/Rural Nursing/Health Department.

I never thought of hibiclens--I bet that does do a good job.  And perfect for the elementary kids who are a tad more dramatic about minor abrasions ?  

I love love the splinter-outs.  I got them for the first time this year and they work so well.

 

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Specializes in school nurse.
46 minutes ago, RuralMOSchoolRN said:

I never thought of hibiclens--I bet that does do a good job.  And perfect for the elementary kids who are a tad more dramatic about minor abrasions ?  

I love love the splinter-outs.  I got them for the first time this year and they work so well.

 

I find the saline spray bottles work fine. Plus, they're cheaper and there's no chance of an allergy issue. I distract the little ones by explaining to them how close saline is to the "recipe" of their blood...

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Specializes in pediatrics, School LVN.

I love my counter top ice maker. They are around $120 on Amazon. I work with PS-7 at a district with 5 elementary schools, a preschool and a brand new Jr. High about 3500 students total.

I use my nose bleed clips all the time. I also have a magnifying headlamp (I bought it for myself). I use it for splinters, and lice checks, and glasses repairs mostly. I have a glasses repair kit. It has everything you need to repair glasses like replacement screws, replacement nose pads...etc there are different parts for different types of frames. These are all items I paid for out of pocket the first time (except the ice maker), I never thought I wouldn't use them as much as I do.

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Save a tooth! 

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Specializes in 12 years as a school nurse.

Here's a few things I've found helpful to have on hand: Slings and splints, reusable ice packs, both disposable and reusable velcro ice pack holders.  Large wood tongue depressors mostly used for checking/removing nits and lice. Lip balm, burn cream, lotion, vaseline, cotton-tipped applicators, nosebudd ice packs, tooth chests, save-a-tooth.   On my "wish list" this year are some big items, a welch allyn suretemp thermometer, a welch allyn spot vision screener, a toothbrush rack that sanitizes the toothbrushes, another digital scale so I don't have to bring it from one school to the next. I'm also looking for someone to donate deodorants and teen pads for puberty goody bags, since always is no longer doing their free sample program. Possibly our PTO group.

I'm liking the previously mentioned ideas as well. What else are favorite items for school nurses in this group??

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