What's In Your Pocket?

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wanting to hear from you first year nurses about what you carry in your pockets and why, what could you not live without. I know I need a good watch, stethescope, hemastats, ............what else?

:confused:

on my unit, hemostats are a must. We have many patients with chest tubes. And it's always nice to have them when experienced nurses who think they dont need anything but their pen call on you for your tools.

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lets see ive been a nurse for less than one year and when i have pockets in my pants , i have my cell phone,different ink pens that dont work , quarters, and my little notebook . i cant live without a sharpie so that when i cant find my patients to give medicine to ill keep in the narcotic drawer and label them. hahah. ;)

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Hello there. What's in your pocket/s or pouch bag before you start your shift (i.e. carpuject, alcohol packets....) that keeps you on your toes and organized?

Thank you.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

I keep it simple..as heavy pockets annoy me. I carry lipbalm and $2 in one pocket (for soda) In the other pocket...my "brains"....alcohol swabs...and a carpuject.

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Specializes in ICU.

too many things...lol...i carry around alcohol preps, flushes, about ten pens (which i somehow lose during the process of each day), a pencil, which invariably stabs me, and index cards.

i used to carry around a notebook as quick ref, but there is just no room anymore.:lol2:

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Right pocket; red pen, black pen, scissors

left pocket alcohol wipes, alligator clips, 10cc flushes we have alot of hickman ports and PICCs, never know what I may neeed once i'm in the room. We push med carts and we have a drawer with each patients meds for 24 hours. i keep an extra piggyback tubing and primary tubing set in my top drawer which also has all the supplies i may need. I stuff my pockets because thats what my preceptor told me to do. Its annoying and doesnt seem very professional to be in the patients room and have to go back to the cart for a supply. I also carry paper tape and a couple 2x2s just in case. I also look at what meds I'm giving and make sure I have what I may need. We keep supplies for dressing changes in the patient rooms but you never know if the nurse ahead kept the supply stocked........

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1-2 black pens (2 if I'm doing an admission)

1 highlighter

Bert's Bees chapstick

Man Down alarm

That's it. I have a stethoscope I keep in my locker in case it's needed. I've used it 4 times in 2 months when we had some COPDers with SOB on our floor. As it is, I wish we had smaller, lighter Man Down alarms that didn't tug at my britches ;-)

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Specializes in ccu.

on a typical night.... listed from must have to sometimes I can leave it at the desk:

Epi and atropine bristojects (if transporting a patient)

Stethoscope,

straight and curved hemostats,

scissors,

carpuject holder,

red pen and 2 black pens,

alcohol pads,

unit assignment sheet (has room #, patient name, age, diagnosis, lines, fluids, etc.),

calculator,

penlight,

unit specific pocket reference,

calipers,

tape,

any particularly interesting rhythm strips that I've come across,

a Christmas tree or 2 (aka O2 nipples)

occationally:

spare restraints,

kelly clamps,

gloves,

saline flushes,

notepad,

misc. things that my bedside carts needed and I grabbed too many to put in the cart.

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I keep 5 pens (all identical only 1 works), 2 packs of post it notes, stethoscope, otoscope, scissors, scalpal, wrist watch, wrist restraints, abdominal binder, 1 adult diaper (never know when your too busy to go to the restroom), stapler, thermometer, an assortment of iv fluids, glucose monitor, penlight, mag-lite, 6 of my favorite books from nursing school, and my clinical instructor from my last semester. I also hook all of my patients charts on carabiners around my waist and strap a portable toilet to my back...gives new meaning to johnny on the spot...

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.
I keep 5 pens (all identical only 1 works), 2 packs of post it notes, stethoscope, otoscope, scissors, scalpal, wrist watch, wrist restraints, abdominal binder, 1 adult diaper (never know when your too busy to go to the restroom), stapler, thermometer, an assortment of iv fluids, glucose monitor, penlight, mag-lite, 6 of my favorite books from nursing school, and my clinical instructor from my last semester. I also hook all of my patients charts on carabiners around my waist and strap a portable toilet to my back...gives new meaning to johnny on the spot...

I see everything but the kitchen sink here. Maybe you still have room on your chest for this?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
I keep 5 pens (all identical only 1 works), 2 packs of post it notes, stethoscope, otoscope, scissors, scalpal, wrist watch, wrist restraints, abdominal binder, 1 adult diaper (never know when your too busy to go to the restroom), stapler, thermometer, an assortment of iv fluids, glucose monitor, penlight, mag-lite, 6 of my favorite books from nursing school, and my clinical instructor from my last semester. I also hook all of my patients charts on carabiners around my waist and strap a portable toilet to my back...gives new meaning to johnny on the spot...

:lol2:Ah, I see you're wearing Aviator scrubs. :up:

aviator%20classic%20pants.gif

www.aviatorscrubs.com

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i am nervous about getting start my first semester in the Accelarated BSN program

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