What do you take to clinicals??

[newbie08]

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!!

[shrimpchips, LPN]

I have a storage clipboard that I got for ~$10 at Walmart (cheaper than office supply stores like Office Max, Office Depot, etc...) It even has a calculator at the top that comes in handy when doing dosage calculations! Anyway in there I keep all of my papers that I might need or other references. I usually carry pens, bandage scissors, pen light & alcohol wipes in my pockets, but I keep an extra pen or two and some additional alcohol wipes in my clipboard. I also carry a small little pocket-sized notebook that I keep in my clipboard (or my pocket, but I usually don't have room for it). and of course my stethoscope - that stays on my neck or in my pocket. I also keep a small amount of cash in my pocket - I don't bring credit or debit cards.

[samanthastarr]

I used to take a fanny pack but got laughed at... It really helped though. If you mean the basics: penlight, stethoscope, watch with sweeping second-hand, a small tablet with paper, a pen (I like the kind with four colors, for my own notes), name-tag, sharpie marker, bandage scissors, and if I forgot anything... Oops. :-)

Edit: Yeah and a clipboard. What I would do was take like 3 sheets of paper on the clip board and use it as a little cheat sheet for my patients. I would leave space on the front for any notes I might forget and such. At my school, unfortunately, we only had clinical in SNFs so I would write down important things for the day like any showers, who my nurse aides would be, and things like if any patients would be leaving.

Ooh... Your drug book, a book with diseases, a lab value book. I usually put the books in a backpack (if there is a safe place for me to put it) so I have them just in case.

[SunnyAndrsn]

I carried a rolling bag with my needed textbooks, lab book, drug book, and a folding clipboard that holds stuff in the middle. The stuff in the middle is a highlighter, the clinical schedule, a couple of pens, a scissors, and a calculator. Taped to the inside is a table of conversions from celsius to farenheit, a table of normal BP ranges and heartrates for pediatrics, and the floor phone number and my instructors number.

Plus my stethescope, of course. In my pockets I carry a little cash but I don't leave my wallet in the car. I keep that stashed away in my bag too.

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!!