What do you take to clinicals??

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One of our instructors suggested taking a small bag to hold stuff and not taking any credit cards/wallets. What kinds of things do you take with you to clinicals?? Do you carry cash so you can get something to eat?? Do you take a bag or do you keep all of your stuff in your pockets?? Any suggestions for things that one should definitely have (or not have) for clinicals??

Thanks!!:nurse:

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

I always carry a credit card/drivers license/health insurance card on me. I keep them and a little amount of cash for lunch/drinks in a pouch that is around my neck underneath my uniform. As far as books are concerned, make sure that your name is on the spine and take along a drug reference or small pocket guide to whatever course is the base for your clinical. I keep these in a back pack figuring nobody is really going to want to steal these even if I don't have a locker to secure them in. Perhaps get together with other students and one person take one book, another takes another book and so on so that you are not all carrying around a whole load of books that are the same. Of course, if you have a PDA you won't need to carry around a bunch of books! Your CI will let you know what else they need you to have, like a clipboard or whatever.

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

I keep everything in my pockets. I bring a little cash, a black pen, penlight, scissors, my palm pilot, and a piece of paper to organize my patient care. My pockets are so full, I wish we had space to leave things on the floor :bluecry1:

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Specializes in Future Peds Nurse.

I am in the same place as Meg. I have very full pockets! I wear an ID badge around my neck and behind my hospital ID card, I bring my drivers license, debit/credit card, a little cash, and my health insurance card. I then of course stuff my pockets with my PDA, stethoscope, bandage scissors, and pen light.

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I keep with me in my pockets: a very small notepad, pen, penlight, bandage scissors (usually to cut the pt's name off the papers I have), stethoscope. My hospital ID is on me of course. I bring a small bag along just to keep any assignments that may be due at clinicals and I keep all my pocket stuff in that bag till I get to the floor. I usually keep a couple of dollars with me to buy a pop or something and the cell phone stays in my coat pocket. Everything of importance stays in the trunk of the car. I used to bring a drug book but the floors always seem to have at least one or two. Bring as little as possible since there is usually no room for students. You may be lucky and have a locker in the locker room but you may have to share it with all the others of your clinical.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I always brought a backpack with a stethoscope, notepad, clipboard, calculator, drug book, wallet, some cash, and a watch....

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I pack light:

1. Steth

2. Penlight

3. Palm w/ Epocrates

4. Pen

5. Binder/clipboard I carry around with me everywhere.

Has worked so far.

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One of our instructors suggested taking a small bag to hold stuff and not taking any credit cards/wallets. What kinds of things do you take with you to clinicals?? Do you carry cash so you can get something to eat?? Do you take a bag or do you keep all of your stuff in your pockets?? Any suggestions for things that one should definitely have (or not have) for clinicals??

Thanks!!:nurse:

I usually take cash or pack my lunch.

As a first semester nursing student the only supplies we must have on us at all times while in the hospital are a stethescope, a pair of bandage scissors, a hemostat, a pupil gauge, a black sharpie, red pen, and a black pen. Our instructor also recommended that we carry around a clipboard with caluculator on it for organization.

That's pretty much all I carry. I keep my pharm book along with my wallet in my bookbag.

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In my pockets I carry:

My stethoscope

Penlight

Bandage scissors

Alcohol wipes

Multi-colored pen

Pencile

PDA

Small notebook

I also take a duffle bag that holds my cell phone, a small amount of cash and all my books . . . medication book, clinical companion of our med-surg book, as well as other little books I picked up at the book store. In there is also my binder containing my paper work for clinical.

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Specializes in SNF/Acute.

wow, thanks so much, all great tips..

i can't wait to start mine soon :wink2:

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:D

In my pockets I carry:

My stethoscope

Penlight

Bandage scissors

Alcohol wipes

Multi-colored pen

Pencile

PDA

Small notebook

I also take a duffle bag that holds my cell phone, a small amount of cash and all my books . . . medication book, clinical companion of our med-surg book, as well as other little books I picked up at the book store. In there is also my binder containing my paper work for clinical.

^lol...:chuckle that's what it's called!! I couldn't think of what it was called....lol..so I called it a pupil gauge...lol...is that even a correct term for a pen light???? lol:yeah:

I'm such a dork!:chuckle

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:D

^lol...:chuckle that's what it's called!! I couldn't think of what it was called....lol..so I called it a pupil gauge...lol...is that even a correct term for a pen light???? lol:yeah:

I'm such a dork!:chuckle

You're close. The pupil gauge is the diagram printed along the sides of many penlights. You can look at your patient's pupils, compare them to the circles on the pupil gauge, and decide whether they are 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, etc.

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