What do you have in there??

My stethoscope, a thousand pens, alcohol swabs (I think they multiply on their own...), gum, water, scissors, hematats, a flashlight (pen light ain't enough on some of those foley inserts), phone, keys, name badge, lunch, excedrin, alleve, ibuprofen, midol, feminine supplies, lip balm, copies of whatever memos and fliers got passed around for the day, deodorant, and whatever other miscellaneous crap that gets collected from my pockets and my car.

I am one of those type A nurses who carry everything but the kitchen sink. Nothing out of the ordinary, but not long ago, I was working on a floor at a busy medical unit and I came in for report and was at my locker. Another RN, an older lady that is in her late 60s came in. She was 5 foot tall, gray haired, Had the "sweet grandma" look. She started unloading her tote bag, and she whipped out a fully loaded 9mm handgun!! Scary!

Anne:smackingf

Don't you guys have lockers?

I don't carry anything back and forth between home and work unless absolutely necessary. I even keep my shoes in my locker. Pocket stuff? Clipboard? Reference books? It all stays in the hospital. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but why risk carrying any more little nasties home to the family than we probably already do? And who really needs any that stuff at home?

Foley ? In your car ?

I am glad someone else asked...I was wondering myself

also a type A nurse will never stop having "all that stuff" (i'm one of them)...but funny when they need something, who do they come to???

Did you say "type A?" ....gee, I've never been called that!

I am one of those type A nurses who carry everything but the kitchen sink. Nothing out of the ordinary, but not long ago, I was working on a floor at a busy medical unit and I came in for report and was at my locker. Another RN, an older lady that is in her late 60s came in. She was 5 foot tall, gray haired, Had the "sweet grandma" look. She started unloading her tote bag, and she whipped out a fully loaded 9mm handgun!! Scary!

Anne:smackingf

Well perhaps, "sweet little ole grandma" was sick of bad attitudes.

Well that is the last time I will ever tease a nurse in her late 60s. I thought pms was bad. Hmmm, menopause and a limited nights sleep must be ####.

On the lighter side of life, I usually have a medical surgical handbook, my vitamins/motrin (I get headaches), bandage scissors, tape, ink pens, highlighter(s), barretts, lipgloss/chapstick, and maybe a small calendar.

As for taking report, I like the cheapo folders that I can pick up at Wal-mart. The one I have is plastic and can be wiped off with the hospital strength cleansers, then allowed to air dry if necessary.

Hey, growing up at my house my Mom's pockets from her lab coat ended up being a source for endless "emergencies". An extra dollar for the ice cream man, a great place to look for that last stick of gum, a pen when we couldn't find one in the house, and of course, band-aid's for the boo boos.

Advil, Tums, Excedrin Migraine, cough drops, Chapstick, face cream, hand lotion, pens, tampons, tea bags, powdered coffee creamer, cereal bars, toothbrush, toothpaste, student planner, sudoko (sp) book.

Count me in as another bag-toting nurse. Yes I do have a locker. In the locker I keep the things I don't want to haul back and forth daily as well as stuff for emergencies (tampons, nutra grain bars, lunch in a cup, etc.)

I think of my bag as my "totable desk." It has everything in it I would have if I had a desk. It also holds the stuff I don't want to carry in my pockets (money or gum).

Yes I am the go-to nurse for the stuff no one else wants to carry. I live by the Girl Scout motto - Be Prepared!

a million black pens, drug books, careplan books, soda, Excedrin, stethescope, bandage scissors, clipboard, wallet, change, jacket, socks, deodorant (never know when you'll have to pull an all nighter), toothbrush and toothpaste, just the usual.

Wallet, keys, cell phone, Aleve, tampons, gum, hair ties, water bottle, magazine, extra pen, hemostats and miscellaneous work mailbox handouts. My work bag is fairly lightly packed compared to some.

I keep my "carry in pockets at work" essentials in my locker-- stethoscope, 2 black pens, scissors and calculator. I also keep my report sheet from the day before in my locker in case I have the same assignment again (don't want that in my work bag going back and forth from home).