What supplies do I need for med-surg?

brillohead, ADN, RN · Jun 11, 2012

I'm always surprised to see people recommend bringing a pulse oximeter and BP cuff for a shift at a hospital. Every unit I've ever been on (multiple floors in three different, unrelated hospitals) has rolling towers for vitals, plus they have wall-mounted manual units in every room for those times when you want a "real" blood pressure.

Many places even have single-patient cuffs (you just hook the tubing to the tower, and leave the cuff on the patient's bedrail between uses) for infection control purposes -- so many patients are on contact precautions for MRSA and VRE these days.

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 12, 2012

Good shoes!!!

sublimeaurora · Jun 13, 2012

Ya know, depending on if your floor has WOW's (workstations on wheels, i.e. rolling computers), you might not need to carry all of that stuff in your pockets. My unit has WOWs and they have a small, two drawer unit below the keyboard tray in which I can carry most of those handy items. However, my most used items during the day that are in my pockets at all times are my multi-colored ink pen (4 colors that I use frequently: black for writing orders, blue for signing them off, red for taking report on my "brain sheets", and green for my to-do list or any new info that I need to know or report off to the next shift); dry erase marker; saline flushes & alcohol wipes. The other great items that everyone else has mentioned, I keep inside or on my WOW. Just got to remember to collect your personal belongings (pill splitter, shears, markers/pens/pencils, stethoscope, etc) when your shift is over. :nurse:

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2012

No advice. Everyone seemed to cover it well. Have you started your new job? How did it go?

bestallaround, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jun 23, 2012

My uniform is not complete without a small bottle of hand lotion.

Nurse ABC · Jul 15, 2012

I did start and everything is going fine and I felt prepared with everyone's advice-thanks!!

registerednutrn, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

All of the stuff everyone has listed and I would recomend a granola or protein bar of some type just in case lunch is late or doesn't happen

CherylRNBSN · Jul 20, 2012

I was hired for a med-surg job but I've been out of the hospital for 20 yrs so I have no idea what I need. Do I need my own stethescope? Pen light? Bandage scissors? I didn't think to ask and since it's been so long since I've been on an actual floor I don't know what's now expected. Can anyone please help so I don't show up my first day unprepared? (I know I sound stupid-sorry in advance!) Thanks!

I am in very similar position. I have been away from the bedside for 15 yrs, and have my first shift Sunday. (Med-Surg). All these posts are helpful. (thanks everyone).

I read your post saying you'd already started your job, and it was going well. I am anxious about performing well and getting up to speed as quickly as possible.

There are SO many posts on this site that make med-surg sound like a nightmare. I'm going to try to stop reading them!

I have 6 yrs med surg experience plus another six of critical care, but it has been 15 yrs.

Nurse ABC, I'd love to hear more about how it was for you and how you are doing now.

And if anyone can give me ANY advice to help my jitters, I'd love that, too!

Nurse ABC · Jul 20, 2012

It's not a nightmare- just very busy with lots of patients and a lot to learn ( or re-learn). If you have that much hospital experience already ( even though it was a long time ago) you will be fine. They do a lot of things differently now-some good and some more time-consuming but safer. All those nursing abbreviations I learned in school are pretty much worthless now. Everything is computerized so if a patient needs a med you can't simply go grab it and initial it. You have to scan yourself, the patient, the med, etc and it's SO time-consuming esp when the scanners don't want to scan! However, for the most part the basics of patient care and juggling it all remain the same!

sublimeaurora · Jul 21, 2012

cherylrnbsn, i've been on my med/surg floor now for a year and survived! yay! the most critical thing for me was getting down a good routine. since you have that experience (i've only got one year under my belt now) i'm sure a lot of that info that you once learned is going to make things so much easier for you. the other problem that i've noticed my peers have had was knowing where everything is located on the floor. we have a very large, 4-wing med/surg floor that can hold up to 75 pts. very busy and very disorienting at times. i was a pct before i became a nurse on the floor so that was beneficial for me. good luck to you!!