What do you keep in your locker/make sure to take to work with you?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone! I was wondering what are the most important items (aside from hygiene products) that you make sure you bring to work/keep in your locker?? I am a new GN and the I am trying to figure out what the must haves are :)

Lol!!! Where do you keep all that??? Our lockers are super small, I can hardly fit anything in!!! Do you take anything with you at your nursing station??

I compactly store things. ;) I wouldn't characterize our lockers as "big" but they are the same size I had in middle and high school (with a skinny part nearly as long as I am tall - I am short) and then the rectangular compartment above. They ARE bigger than the lockers I had as a floor nurse. I think part of that is that we have to store street clothes during the day...

It's easy to fit multiple pairs of shoes in the lower part (at one point I had about 4 pair of work shoes). I have a cloth organizer with several pockets that goes on the door to the tall part that is where I keep my pens, scissors, toothbrush/toothpaste, hair brush and accessories, chap stick, hard candy, small things like headphones/charger live here too). My scrub jackets live on the same hook on one side, my purse and jacket (if needed) go on the other hook. The top compartment has a basket with all my hats (plus my extra socks, underwear, etc). The other side of the compartment has my travel bottles, bottle of over the counter meds, deodarant, and snacks. I have room to spare...more than enough to store the clothes I wore in from home. I perfected my hoarding method when I needed to pack everything for an entire summer into one suitcase for two summers.

No, I rarely take anything with me. In my environment (OR), anything I take with me I have to carry around all day. We don't actually have a nurses station for all of our staff, we have an area our charge nurse is but we have a minimum of three computers in each room, so...there are plenty of places to use a computer in our rooms. Usually I just have things I plan to use (pens, scissors, etc).

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
I know right? Why they have that policy in place I don't know! Some still do sneak out, but I won't even think about it, for now anyway!

The reason I don't like using my Litmann is because I don't like how tight the upper part of tubing is! It literally crashes my ears! :/ Obviously I miss the clear sounds , but so far I'm managing just fine with the sprague.

I've used the Litmann throughout my nursing school, so it's not brand new, I just find the sprague more comfortable. Have you ever had this issue with the Litmann?

No problems with Littman for me, but I can see where you're coming from. The top can be a little snug and there really isn't a good way to stretch it. Maybe you just have a big head [lol]?

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I feel so unprepared compared to you guys. All I bring in my bag is extra pens, lip balm and moisturizer lol.

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Specializes in CICU, Telemetry.

Stuff I have Daily:

Stethoscope

Pens/Sharpies/Markers

Ibuprofen, Zofran, Nicotine gum, Dental floss (most anywhere you work will have toothbrushes, but how many of you supply floss?), eyedrops, a few days worth of Rx meds, EXTRA HAIR TIES, chapsticks, VICKS NASAL INHALERS- less messy than the goop inside your nose, and the best option for smelly situations

Phone charger and headphones

Food packed for that shift +2-3 protein bars and a water bottle

A book

An extra set of scrubs complete with undies, sports bra, socks. I don't carry extra shoes. I probably should but they take up space.

From October to April I keep a duffel in my car with extended supplies in case of a weather emergency, or 'Code D' where I'm not allowed to leave. Sometimes we have a heads up that a storm is coming, but as you know, these things can strike out of nowhere and leave you high and dry if you're unprepared.

1. 2-3 extra sets of scrubs (one of your co-workers will forget or be new, and they will appreciate you)

2. Sweats for sleeping/lounging in case you get a few hours off.

3. Fresh underclothes and socks

4. a few extended toiletries like a hairbrush and deoderant, toothpaste

5. Non perishable, microwaveable food. Cans of soup/chili are good, extra box of protein bars, I usually keep a jar of PB to eat with a spoon. Don't judge.

6. throw blanket and pillowcase. Stuff extra clothes in pillowcase to make pillow.

7. Power strip. Just trust me on this one. Also always bring these to hotel rooms/on vacation. People always think you're weird until they realize how many outlets 4 people need to charge all their electronics.

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
Hi everyone! I was wondering what are the most important items (aside from hygiene products) that you make sure you bring to work/keep in your locker?? I am a new GN and the I am trying to figure out what the must haves are :)

I keep pens, dry erase markers, highlighters, and a couple of sharpies, as well as a change of clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, spare rescue inhaler, and other stuff that applies mainly to me. :) I also try to keep a couple of bottles of water in my locker, in case something happens to the water main near work, which happens way to often.

I carry to work with me: a book, charger for my phone, coffee(nothing is sacred at my facility, I swear), snacks and meds that I don't want to leave at work (nebulizer meds, insulin, glucose tablets, emergency prednisone)

And of course, my stethoscope. Like I said, nothing is sacred at my facility and I have had to physically remove my stethoscope from around a residents neck because the twerp started to walk off with it.

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Tylenol, some snacks, box of pens, and my phone charger. that's about it.

I dont keep clothes or anything like that because if something were to uh..."happen" (ew btw :spit:) i would just change into surgery scrubs.

the last time something "happened" to me, it almost took an act of God to get myself a spare pair of hospital scrubs. I was literally standing there covered in someone else's vomit and was told "we don't give out spare scrubs anymore". One of the nurses took matters in her own hands and got me some anyway. I mean, really!

I now now always carry a spare of old scrubs in my bag.

i also float so everything I carry is in a small bag in the break room. Anything valuable stays with me!

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Snacks, pens,

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