What's in your nurse bag?

[nynursey_]

As a new nurse, I'm always curious to know the essentials to bring with me to work. So, what's in your nurse bag? What type of bag (brand or style) do you bring with you to work?

And on that note, what are your must have's on hand in your pocket?

[j0yegan]

I just carry a regular purse. It's big so I can bring all my stuff. As a new nurse, I'd carry all the papers that were given to me so I can refer back to them (or turn them in if they're orientee papers).

As for supplies I carry with me in my pocket, I bring a pen, Sharpie, dry erase marker, scissors, stethoscope, penlight, notepad, work watch.

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

Food. I'm serious. Dry goods that don't need to be refrigerated like granola bars. I can put up with a lot but I will not, I repeat I will not put up with being hungry.

BTW I have a backpack with lots of pockets.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I walk into work with a simple backpack.

I am per diem, so I don't have a locker. I always carry lunch. A couple of pens, pencils, penlight to go in my pocket. In the bag are a couple of blank "brain sheets" for taking report. Also a few sample packs of Tylenol, cough drops and hand lotion for my own use.

What to keep in your pocket depends on where you work. I work in a unit with a fully stocked bedside cart. My pockets have only a pen, pencil and lipbalm in them. In my previous job, all supplies were kept in the clean utility room without so much as an alcohol wipe in the rooms. I learned quickly to stuff my pockets with all sort of supplies like swabs, gauze, flush syringes, and insulin syringes to save the walk to the supply room.

[himilayaneyes]

I use a cosmetics case where I store my EKG calipers, scissors, dry erase marker, lots of pens, and personal pharmacy (e.g., tylenol) for when work gets rough.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Mine is a combination of a grocery store and a pharmacy ...like a very petite walgreens, I guess.

[RNGriffin]

TYLENOL, MIDOL, MORE TYLENOL: cashews, a lunchable, a bottle of water, a binder with dividers to separate each of my patient's data, sharpie, dry erase marker, calculator, pen light, scissors, stethoscope, and 3 pens(2 blue and 1 black)

Everything else I'll find on the unit.

OH, unscented lotion and ESOS

[nynursey_]

Food. I'm serious. Dry goods that don't need to be refrigerated like granola bars. I can put up with a lot but I will not I repeat I will not put up with being hungry. BTW I have a backpack with lots of pockets.[/quote']

Hear, hear! I make sure I take my lunch break because if not, my brain isn't functioning at all.

[cassie77775]

I stopped carrying my stuff in a bag and just organize it in my locker. I bring my lunch with has a full meal plus 2-3 snacks(yogurt, cheese, granola bar) plus a reusable water container and a gatorade. As for nursing supplies: 1-2 pair of scissors, tape, stethescope, pens, dry erase markers, highlighter(I highlight my notes after charting them), travel size lotion(almost always kept in my pocket), and chapstick. Oh and a mini pharmacy: tampons, advil, tylenol, aleve, claritin :)

[lakepapa]

I'm with ya' on the food deal. Gotta' have a snack stashed in my bag. As for what I carry on me: Ears, pen, trauma scissors, penlight.

[NurseDirtyBird]

Water bottle, tea (not a coffee drinker), ibuprofen and lunch in my bag. Two pens, Sharpie, penlight, scissors, stethoscope, and hand lotion in my pockets. Extra set of scrubs in my locker, because you never know when you'll need them. I certainly have needed them before.

I usually wear a scrub jacket to work too, and that has extra pockets for IV flushes, alcohol wipes and such.

[Enlightenedx]

Do you always carry your nursing materials anywhere you go ?