I know there are some older threads similar to this but I figured a fresh one with an ED focus might not be a bad idea.
Stethoscope - Goes without saying...but for sack of being through. I actually keep a backup in my locker just in case I forget the main one. I tend to keep a roll of tape on it as well. I also found a really cool LED light that I clip to the part of the tubing. Made by princetec called impulse and it is the carabiner version. About $10 here on amazon.
Ballpoint Pen - I hate messing around with caps so it is one of the clicky ones (fancy term I know..) They also write well through carbon copies...yes we still have a couple of things still in paper - and carbon copy versions.
Scissors - The item that never finds it's way back to it's owner. And every time you give it out you preface it with "Make sure I get these back." Saw some crazy fancy ones in the store for $15 - they were black and seemed really nice. Also saw myself losing them very quickly. I actually am currently using a this pair from staples. They are quite sturdy and are titanium which if nothing else sounds pretty rugged. Haha but they are quite durable. Other option is to buy them in bulk on ebay and as they get lost it isnt a big deal.
I usually ditch the keys and wallet in the locker but do keep the phone and a little cash on me. Phone is nice for calcualtions and I have tried various reference software but I lean toward hard copy or whatever reference is on the computer. Bigger screen..
Everyone has their own way of organizing patient notes (some people call this their "brain"). I am not one who can just absorb it all as someone shpeals a dozen or so facts about 4 different patients. I bounce between taking an 8.5 by 11 and index cards. I am currently using the paper and find that most helpful. And bottom line is having something to write on is pretty clutch. How many times have you used an alcohol prep, paper towel, or gauze pad to jot down a recent set of VS or phone number or whatever you need to remember.
I try to keep it light so my last must have is my badge. Seems like another no brainer but I actually see it as a tool. It is on a badge reel for the entry swipes. Key to my locker. And i have a set of badge card references on there that I find really helpful. One converts pounds to kilograms which every triage note requires (at our place) yet the computer system doesnt calculate it for you into kg...pretty crazy. It is also helpful when you and the doctor look at a sick pt and need to come up with a guesstimate on the spot. Found them on ebay under rn badge card here. I also have the conversion card and the pedi card. I try to use pocket guides but most of them are very "pocket-like." I end up leaving them on the COW or in the locker and never using them.
Our ED has all the tapes, alcohol wipes, gauze, tegaderm and other small supplies at each bedside on the wall. Each room has an otoscope so no need for pen light. At the beginning of my career, I carried around EVERYTHING, including reference books... I tried a fanny pack for a bit, but didn't like the feel of it. So, slowly I discarded the unnecessary and kept the essential.
This is almost exactly what I have in my pockets... except I always have a few alcohol swabs. I have found that they are quite adequate for jotting down a set of vitals. Plus I'm not wasting paper cause as soon as I chart said vitals I can use the alcohol swab :)
stethescope with tape do-hickey attached, NS flush and a few prep pads, nitro tabs and Duo-Neb, sharpie and one or two "clicky-pens". one dollar for vending machine on no lunch days :)
--at least five black pens (and I'll be lucky if i end the day with two. I am notorious for leaving them laying around)
--Stethoscope around my neck
--Badge with 3m tape ran thru my badge clip and ammonia capsule taped to the back
--Trauma shears
--LIP GLOSS
--Eye drops (the dreaded contact dry eye is enough to ruin a day)
--alcohol preps and two flushes
--cell phone
And by the end of the day some patient labels, SL NTG, and the list on the back of a 2x2 that i make first thing in the morning while stocking my rooms usually end up there.
Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care (CEN, CCRN).
Reply to Airwayguru:
Neither. I wear Aviator Scrubs - Classic shirt, ER pants. They're comfy, last forever, and are the source of one of my two department nicknames, "Pockets."
Used to carry much more, but have downsized and I am glad I did. Pants used to get holes in them from everything else, but now if it ain't in the room, I won't need it. And, I do still have hemostats and some other things in a backpack, but those are nonessential to carry. Also, to an above poster...notes do go well on paper towels!
Well I don't carry it in my pocket, but I carry around a jug of Golytely to help everyone rid themselves of the overwhelming amounts of crap that they're full of... :)
edmia, BSN, RN
827 Posts
Fun thread!
I like to keep it minimal:
Stethoscope
Sharpie
Pen
trauma shears
Our ED has all the tapes, alcohol wipes, gauze, tegaderm and other small supplies at each bedside on the wall. Each room has an otoscope so no need for pen light. At the beginning of my career, I carried around EVERYTHING, including reference books... I tried a fanny pack for a bit, but didn't like the feel of it. So, slowly I discarded the unnecessary and kept the essential.