What have you found in your pockets at the end of your shift?

[Poi Dog]

-A barrette

-A hearing aid

-numerous pens

-alcohol wipes

-a bottle of shaving gel

-a lighter

-couple pairs of gloves

-spoons

-forks

-a cigarette

-piece of paper with a number that I have no idea who/what it was to

[tripsis]

-Lancets

-Pens and highlighters

-a flush here and there

-alcohol wipes

-report

-crackers

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

A carefully placed ,open 14 gauge lab draw needle.

Ouch that hurt... led to 9 months of follow up for needle exposure.

So I found lateral violence in MY pocket.

[bratmobile]

most of the above plus,,,, another units's med cart keys... OYE

[minnymi]

i didn't read it all. i always have alcohol wipes, notes, sometimes crackers or ranch packets from when i go to the cafeteria...

i brought home a pager once which is a PAIN bc it has to be returned.

nothing another nurse would find abnormal really.

[canned_bread]

I always accumulate alco wipes and come home with paper tape (micropore usually).

[Skayda]

Just today when I got home I found about six blood sugar test strips that must have fallen out of the little bottle when I opened it to get one out to do a client's blood sugar test in the morning. I am going to be at work tomorrow, and since I know that the client's insurance will only cover just so many test strips a month, I will be putting them back into her blood sugar test strip bottle with the rest of them. Sneaky little buggers! I thought it was only two or three which I gave to my supervisor at shift's end and who laughed and said it happens to her, too. I told her about this site and thread and she goes "Ooh I once had someone's nasty spit-on Kleenex in my scrub pocket!" lol!

[Skayda]

most of the above plus,,,, another units's med cart keys... OYE

Ooh! Yeah! I forgot about the med keys! A few times myself or another caregiver has accidentally taken the med keys home and then it's a drive straight back or the med room won't be able to be locked which is a clear violation! When I do sleepovers I always lock up the med room before going downstairs to the staff bedroom because even though you think you know your clients you really never know and who gets the blame for any missing meds? Not the client. The caregiver! So, yeah, med keys are always in my pocket while at work and hanging on a hook above my bed when I'm at work sleeping during overnight shifts.

[VictoriaGayle]

I always ended up going home with gloves in my pockets when working as a resident assistant...