What's in your bag (and/or car) -- the PDN version!

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

I see this thread from time to time in the general nursing or student sections, but since PDN is a different situation from floor/facility nursing (no locker to stash stuff in, no cafeteria or vending machines, no coworkers to borrow from), I wondered what all everyone carries with them to work?

What do you have in your bag for every shift?

What do you keep in your car for "just-in-case"?

What did you use to carry with you that you realized was a waste of energy so you stopped bringing it?

[ink'ed_rn]

I have a couple of bags within a big bag.

Medical: stethoscope, pulse ox, temporal thermometer, trauma shears, penlight, alcohol wipes.

Personal: tylenol, pepto, mints/gum, chapstick, 5 hr energy.

Lunchbox: protein bar, few other snacks. Coffee. Water.

Plus several pens, small notebooks, and my schedule/planner.

[SDALPN]

Wallet, chapstick, pen in pocket.

Lunch bag with food, extra snacks for being hungry or if I'm asked last minute to stay late or go to another case, phone charger, ibuprofen, inhaler, cuticle cream, lotion, external phone charger.

In car, toilet paper, paper towels, plastic grocery bags, stethoscope, extra drinks, folder with work paperwork/schedule, plastic forks/knives for times I forget or drop my utensils, box of gloves, extra jacket/clothes...probably more things I'm forgetting.

In folder, work schedule, pens, ink, highlighter, Sharpie, ID that nobody ever asks for, notes that need to be turned in.

When I walk into a home, I have what I carry in my pocket. I carry my folder, 2 drinks and my stethoscope. Keys in pocket. Lunch bag over shoulder.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

For home care...well ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS phone charger (super crucial because I take the train) and charger for tablet. Also, aforementioned tablet & phone. Medications. Planner. Food. Greeting cards (I usually send out a few a week to various people- Mom, sister, etc.) hmmm what else. Wallet, money, kindle, gym clothes, sweatshirt...I think that's it

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[Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN]

I carry my nurse bag which has clipboard/holder for charting. Lunch bag, stethoscope, thermoscan, pencil case with sharpies, pens and & sticky pad. ID badge. Emergency bag for me with meds, sanitary stuff and tea bags. Phone charger with Halo (its a cordless phone charger) In my car I carry a folder with extra forms, a few boxes of gloves and a manual BP. I used to bring it in but my clients have their own BP machines. I am a day shift nurse so I don't have a lot of downtime.

[mluvsgnc]

I bring my book bag, which holds my: dinner/lunch bag, water bottle, drug guide, stethoscope, alcohol wipes, pen lights, pens, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, lip products, eye glasses, gloves, mints, wallet, keys, and phone (I have a charger in car).

[cazach0122]

In my car I have an extra pair of scrubs and socks, sweater, blanket, phone charger, a couple boxes of non-perishable food/snacks like Easy Mac (good in a pinch if I have to stay late), bottled water, toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox wipes, box of gloves, alcohol pads, disposable chux, a few syringes, manual BP cuff, economy sized bottles of ibuprofen and Pepcid... and probably some other things I can't think of.

Into the home I bring my backpack which holds my laptop, a couple textbooks and notebooks, stethoscope, various pens/highlighters, lotion, hand sanitizer, chapstick, phone charger, and wallet. Also my lunchbox.

[kiszi, RN]

Medical equipment stays with the patient.

My bag right now:

Folder for paperwork/scrap paper

Sudoku books

Kindle

Knee brace

Ankle brace (for me! I walk my patient daily, some times I need these, sometimes not)

Ace wrap (see above)

lunch/snacks

tea bags

coffee thermos

hairbrush

name badge in the bottom somewhere

In my bag's "go-to" front pocket

tic-tacs (must have!)

pens

lotion

pencil/sharpener (for those sudoku books)

sunglasses for when i take pt outside

nothin in my pocket but a phone and a pen

purse stays in the car under the seat

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Ok. This is my standard bag. It all fits in a medium size tool box

Multi tool

Allen wrenches

Travel otoscope/penlight

Light stick

Extra stethoscope ear nub

1 Ammonia inhalant (in the plastic box with the nub)

Energy drink

Power bar

Name badges

Scissor, shear, and hemostat

Eat buds

Extra battery for phone

Tape x 2

Stethoscope x 2

Binder for paperwork x 2 (two agencies)

IR scanThermometer

Personal medication bag (pepto, tylenol, ect)

A small pouch with Q tips, slip tip syringes, 6,8,10 fr sxn catheters, and a little sucker catheter.

[smartnurse1982]

i do not have nearly as much stuff as you guys!

i am thinking about buying some stock meds for my clients since parents seem unconcerned,esp about constipation.

Fleet enemas(adult and pediatric)

glycerin and dulcolax suppositories

Ibuprofen(pediatric)

I am not sure about bringing extra pulse ox probes.

I want to at times,esp since some kids are on continuous monitoring but only receive 4/month.

[SDALPN]

i do not have nearly as much stuff as you guys!

i am thinking about buying some stock meds for my clients since parents seem unconcerned,esp about constipation.

Fleet enemas(adult and pediatric)

glycerin and dulcolax suppositories

Ibuprofen(pediatric)

I am not sure about bringing extra pulse ox probes.

I want to at times,esp since some kids are on continuous monitoring but only receive 4/month.

Sounds like a liability issue carrying meds for patients. And if they are kept in the car, the temp may be too extreme.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Yea I only carry the suction catheters because I consider them emergency equipment. They are not for routine use. The drugs I carry are all for me. I wouldn't give a pt drugs from my own stock.