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:

Specializes in A/E.

I usually keep my personal things in pants pockets ( chowing gum , some tissue ,coins ...etc) on the top pockets my shift report paper alcohol swaps,bandaids

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

At the beginning of the shift I always have:

Right pocket: 2 black pens, 1-2 pairs of hemostats, bandage scissors, EKG calipers, 1-2 pen lights (I work with a lot of neuro patients), and my "brain" aka my report sheet

Left pocket: Gum, 2-5 dollar bills, 2 quarters (I never carry more than $5.50), and alcohol swabs.

By the end of the shift I sometimes have no pens left or I have acquired some new ones...lol I admit it, I am a pen thief!! I can also find some other random things such as caps, bandaids, gauze, etc.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

By the end of the shift I sometimes have no pens left or I have acquired some new ones...lol I admit it, I am a pen thief!!

Pen thieves = root of all that is evil :devil:

:lol2:

Just kidding, but you better not take my .05mm felt tip archival pen which I use for all written documentation not having a carbon. :nono: As an aside, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fine point felt tipped pens. They force me to write neatly. Also, everyone can identify my handwriting because it looks like comic book writing. :lol2:

Also in my pockets:

An organizer containing a penlight, ballpoint pen in black and red, bandage scissors, a hemostat, and $$ for lunch in the super strong velcro pocket.

Then I also have the inevitable alcohol wipes, IV caps, and stethoscope. I'm also a fan of carrying an extra pair or two of gloves (usually 2, because if you need 'em fast, often so does somebody else who's with you).

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upper left pocket = 2 black pens 1 sharpy

lower left pocket = pda, highlighter, brain

lower right = alcohol swabs, tape, sissors, 5 flushes

by the end of the shift I have IV start kits, butterfly's, blood tubes and a lot more pens

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Left= red pen, 2-3 black pens, PDA c Pharm book, Tabers, pager #s etc

Right= bandage scissors, straight scissors, hemastats, alc pads, band aid

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.
Pen thieves = root of all that is evil :devil:

:lol2:

Just kidding, but you better not take my .05mm felt tip archival pen which I use for all written documentation not having a carbon. :nono: As an aside, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fine point felt tipped pens. They force me to write neatly. Also, everyone can identify my handwriting because it looks like comic book writing. :lol2:

I purposely bring odd pens that I can recognize when I leave them at random places around the nurses station. My favorite was a bright blue pen from another hospital...lol Much to my dismay, it broke the other day :( Now I am using a bright red Activase pen that I took from a drug rep :)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
I purposely bring odd pens that I can recognize when I leave them at random places around the nurses station. My favorite was a bright blue pen from another hospital...lol Much to my dismay, it broke the other day :( Now I am using a bright red Activase pen that I took from a drug rep :)

I do the same thing!! (I prefer hot pink for everything, especially when on of our attendings is on, because he's convinced his hand would fall off if he picked it up!!) Only I put my name on everything too, with a Brother label maker. Makes it a lot more likely that everything comes home with me.

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In addition to the standard I always carry lip balm

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Specializes in Orthopedics.

Right pocket: chap stick, lip gloss, 3-4 pens, highlighter

Left pocket: scissors, hemastats, 2x2's, alcohol pads (if I don't run out of them), alligator clips, iv port stop cock things (aren't sure what they're called), blunt tips for saline flushes, tape

Right hip pocket in pants: keychain full of keys (laundry shoot, pca/epidural pumps, med drawers, hazard box etc)

Watch on my left arm, stethescope around the neck, 3 ring binder with patient information in my hand and name badge clipped to shirt

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4 pens ( my favorite one) and 3 others I could do with out

2x2

bandades

paper about my patients

gum

money for soda

roll of tape

alcohol pads

small gloves

ON MY SHIRT

hemostats clipped on with a roll of tape and my trauma scissors through the roll of tape.

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steth around my neck with a roll of tape attached, and watch on my wrist, keys to restraints on my badge and keys to the restroom and breakroom on my badge. list of important #'s on back of badge. light flashlight attached to my badge.

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
Can anyone answer??? why a cell phone and how usful is a PDA???

As for why a cell phone (and off) I can only think it's because while you shouldn't be on your phone at work, it can be nice to have in emergency/down time/etc?

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