What's in your bag? What's wrong with mine?

[IntoTheUnit]

I need the advice of any home care nurses out there regarding my bag. I feel like I'm missing some important things and that I have too many unimportant things. So, here's my list of what I'm currently carrying. Keep in mind, I'm in palliative care. Cancer, mostly, with wounds, IVs, ostomies, etc

First pocket:

• Laptop
  
• Stethoscope
  
• BP cuff
  
• Thermometer
  
• gloves
  
• notebook

Second pocket

• tape measure(paper and plastic)
  
• tapex2 kinds
  
• lancets (not sure why, maybe these should go in the blood box?)
  
• 2×2s, 4×4s
  
• cotton balls (again, why?)
  
• Alcohol wipes
  
• Pill envelopes (I think?)
  
• Bandage scissors
  
• sharps box
  
• Squirty saline
  
• Paper towels
  
• Reference book: Mosby's HH Nursing Pocket Consultant

Third pocket:

• Sterile gloves x2
  
• tongue depressors
  
• Qtips
  
• Aprons
  
• syringes c needles
  
• suture removal kit
  
• masks
  
• bottle of saline
  
• KY

Outer pockets

• gloves
  
• CPR mask
  
• pens
  
• Purell
  
• soap
  
• barrier

Trunk:

• Scale
  
• blood box
  
• cooler with ice pack
  
• stethoscope(I tend to forget mine)
  
• isolation garb

What am I missing? What do I have that I don't need?

[cookie102]

i carry as little as possible in my bag, the rest is in the trunk of my car,,most patients have the needed supplies in their home, if not, i pull from my car stock and then replace,,but that bag can just get too heavy to carry everything.

[sherrytzu]

I keep car stock in a big bag in my car. I only take a small bag with thermometer, stethoscope, BP cuff into the home. If they have wound I take their supplies as needed. I also have my travel chart with me.

[caliotter3]

I do shift work and almost all supplies that I need are provided in the home. I carry my own stethoscope, bp cuffs (manual and electronic), thermometer, a supply of gloves, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, and a few other common supplies, along with my references and notes. If I were doing visits I would carry the same supplies that you mention, but I would keep them in the car trunk and take out only what I need for each visit.

[NurseRoRo]

I also work in palliative home care. I do have med/surg or wound patients, too, though. I use a rolling backpack.

Smallest zipped pocket in front:

BP Cuff

Oximeter

Thermometer

Thermometer covers

Alcohol pads

Extra key to the car

Medium zipped pocket:

Lab box (vials, labels, alcohol, bandaids, cotton balls)

Ziploc bag of lab stuff (extra vials, vac holders, butterflies)

Largest Compartment:

laptop

gloves

portable spill kit

portable PT INR machine

notebook for PT INR results

hemostat

measuring tape

Outside pockets (I have one on each side):

bandage scissors

sharpie marker

extra pen

Hand sanitizer

CPR shield

Hand soap and paper towels

everything else is in the car.

[IntoTheUnit]

Extra key to the car

Oh, boy, have I learned this trick, too!

[caliotter3]

Extra key to the car

This is a good idea. I just spent three days looking for my regular car key.

[NurseRoRo]

This is a good idea. I just spent three days looking for my regular car key.

One of the physical therapists taped the spare key on the inside of her clipboard. I'd be afraid I'd forget the clipboard. Since mine is in the bag, I always take a mental inventory of whether I have keys in my hand or whether my bag is out of the trunk...

[purpledaisies]

Thanks you all so much for posting what's in your bag! I've only gone out on 2 days of visits shadowing, and I was wondering what I should have in there.