What did you put in your storage clipboards??

kendarswife · Aug 13, 2005

Ok, to those of you that used storage clipboards for clinicals. What did you put in them?? It has been a while since I have been in clinicals and I am starting in a couple weeks for my RN. So, I bought the clipboard but what do I put in there that I wouldn't have in my pockets?? (Besides patient info.)Just curious...I'm an organizer...I obsess about these things:eek:
Thanks!!

Funny you should ask that. My husband just "willed" me his clipboard that he used during his clinicals. It's a nice metal one with a calculator on top that he got from Galls. As far as what was kept in it...there were still things in there...hahahahaha...there was a cheat sheet for neuro assessment taped to the lid on the inside, a tourniquet, trauma shears, a pen light, a pen, assessment sheets, a CAD pump cheat sheet, tape, and an article on solumedrol. He said that when he was a tech in nurshing school, he also kept a Muscle Mustang and Fast Ford magazine in there for when he did "one on one's"!!!

Mandarella · Aug 14, 2005

Thanks guys! Found one with a calculator!! I did steal a few of your tips as well. Thanks!

mitchsmom · Aug 14, 2005

Clinical worksheets, assessment pocket guide (that will probably switch to the medsurg clinical guide we have to buy this semester though), sharpie, 4 color pen (red for allergies!), lip gloss or chapstick, RNotes, other reference papers I think I may want. I have pockets in my uniform too so I'm always loaded down (PDA, steth, mints, money, etc. go in those!).

nfsaldal · Sep 4, 2005

Most everything listed plus a little container full of Vicks vapor rub. Helps with all the smells!

hrtprncss · Sep 4, 2005

why would someone not be allowed to bring clipboards in clinicals...

4quanyin · Sep 4, 2005

why would someone not be allowed to bring clipboards in clinicals...

At our school some clinical instructors allow them, and others tell you not to use them. The reasoning is that if you are carrying a clipboard from one patient's room to another you can also carry microbes from one room to another, especially if the clipboard is set on the bedside table without a barrier. I keep everything in my pockets (gotta love them cargo pants) and never set anything on a bedside table, bed, etc.

NewEnglandRN, RN · Sep 4, 2005

The reasoning is that if you are carrying a clipboard from one patient's room to another you can also carry microbes from one room to another, especially if the clipboard is set on the bedside table without a barrier. .

This is the primary reason we can not use clipboards.

hrtprncss · Sep 4, 2005

But isn't that obvious that's why u can't bring patient's bedside clipboards inside a patient's room, anyways for the better, how many nurses do u see carrying clipboards anyways, i'd get used using one page piece of paper folded as to how many patients ur taking care of and just the relevant information written there. less papers the better, it'd make u more productive.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Sep 4, 2005

At our school some clinical instructors allow them, and others tell you not to use them. The reasoning is that if you are carrying a clipboard from one patient's room to another you can also carry microbes from one room to another, especially if the clipboard is set on the bedside table without a barrier. I keep everything in my pockets (gotta love them cargo pants) and never set anything on a bedside table, bed, etc.

Our uniform has generous pockets, so I never carried anything in my hands. That is, until this semester, when doing OB: the unit doesn't allow us to wear our uniforms, everyone arrives in street clothes and changes into scrubs supplied by the hospital once on the floor, and we wear stickies with our names written on them instead of the pins (no scratches on newborns, thanks!). And there are zero pockets on these scrubs!

I have a simple pocket folder to carry papers (assessment info, whatever) and a small notebook for nursing notes, etc. Pen stuck into the folder. Never thought I'd say I'd WANT my uniform back, LOL, but I do love the pockets!!