What's in Your Backpack?

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Hello everyone!

My time has come! I've been accepted and now comes the real work! I'm still riding the high of the excitement before the dread sets in when I actually have to endure nursing school!

So, in preparation, I'm trying to find the best organizational solutions. I find that good organization diminishes a small amount of anxiety and I think we can all use as much help as we can get in that department. So what do you do to stay organized? For example, planners, binders, folders? What's your system? Lastly, are there any supplies that you've found to be incredibly useful? Like a folding clip board. I've found that many students are opting for the WhiteCoat folding clip board that fits in your scrub pocket!

Anything advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!!.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I have a folder/portfolio thing that I've used for clinicals, and I LOOOOVE it. I have a lot of nurses that ask where I purchased it! It's hard, I can cover patient info easily, I can just pull out what I need, I can store notes to reference (like procedures and protocols, what I'll need to prep in a room for a post-op admit, etc), and it has a notepad, which occasionally comes in handy (great for notes in post-conference).

In my backpack, I have a pouch for my pens, highlighters, etc. I keep ear buds for when I'm studying, a lightning cable for my phone, my laptop goes in (I take all of my notes on there), and some note cards in case I need them and I don't have more that I've packed. Don't overdo it. I bought folders in the beginning, but our program does everything online, so I very rarely needed them, and only ever used one. No binders. I do have an academic planner where I can write all of my assignments, anything on my son's school calendar, my husband's work appointments, our doctor's appointments, etc. I can't visualize it well on my phone's calendar, but if it's all written down (always in pencil, because things change), it helps me a ton. I put check boxes next to everything (papers, reading assignments, etc) so I know what's done and what needs to be done.

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Specializes in Critical care.

runbabyrun where did you get your portfolio thingy? I'm having trouble picturing it.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
runbabyrun where did you get your portfolio thingy? I'm having trouble picturing it.

I found it at the campus bookstore. Here are images of mine.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Yikes, sorry, I didn't know they'd come up that big! But if you click on the pic, it does a full screen shot, so you can see the whole thing.

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During school I had a bag i bought at sams club that was superb the past 2 years (I'm going to get a new one now that I'm a nurse.) I had the following in my bag.

15" Laptop

1 1/2 inch binder with dividers

Legal notepad

Pencil bag with mechanical pencils, pens, multiple highlighters, sticky notes

Voice Recorder

5x7 Mole Planner

Stethoscope

Ibuprofin

Water Bottle

Cell phone charger

Snacks

This got me through the long days at school and clinical.

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For first semester I had 7 classes, so I used a file folder from Target that has 7 sections and used one for each section. Next semester has an 'easier' class load (but harder subjects!) so I don't plan on using it. It was REALLY handy for this semester though! I also have a 1/2 inch binder with notebook paper (I like being able to take out a couple of pieces at a time to take notes), my Macbook with charger, pens/pencils, water bottle, tons of snacks, gum, headphones, sticky notes, planner, mini clipboard for clinicals (like 5x7? It fits in a scrub pocket but I keep it in a pouch I wear around my waist) and the regular tools for clinicals if I need them like steth, pen light, etc.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Trauma.

I keep a separate binder for each class. In it I put any notes that I am able to print along with the class syllabus and schedule. I also keep a spiral notebook in every binder to take additional notes in.

I have separate backpacks for separate days, so that I never have to remember to take out and put in the binders for different classes that are on different days.

I ALWAYS keep my planner with me.

I also keep a pencil bag full of pens, pencils, and highlighters.

I don't keep a laptop with me because my program does not allow us to use them in class.

I have a separate clinical bag I use with all of my clinical supplies. I have a folding clipboard that I bought on amazon for under $10.

And I keep a small spiral notebook in my scrub pocket during clinical.

Hope this helps! Good luck to you! (:

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Specializes in Critical care.

I'm coming back to this thread because I JUST packed my backpack for my first day of classes tomorrow. So surreal! I have a spiral bound notebook for each class, a planner, several highlighters and pens (I don't do pencils), sticky notes, spiral-bound index cards, and then my wallet laptop and charger. I'm sure I will adapt as needed and I think I need to get myself one of those folding clipboards.

Heeeeeere we go!

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In my bag for classes (I have separate lab and clinical bags) I have:

-Three-ring binder with dividers (in which I always have a supply of scantrons)

-Spiral notebook

-Pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters, sharpies

-Post-it flags

-My laptop

-My drug book and my NANDA book for reference

-Water bottle and snacks

-Excedrine

-Calculator

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

I started out very over packed, and about 3/4 through the semester I finally found what worked best for me.

I like to print the lecture powerpoints and then take notes all over them so I had a binder fro each class that had like 10 sheets of paper and then dividers to separate the powerpoints/notes from my checkoff/procedure papers

A pen bag with pencils, highlighters, different color pens, a stapler, etc

Laptop

Small planner

one notebook

I had all my lab stuff separate and on Clinical I brought a clipboard with my careplan and some reference stuff inside that I kept at the nurses station for when I needed it (no patient ID info in it)

I started with more than this and slowly started leaving things I didn't need at home. You will find what works best for you after trying various ways of bring things and how you best note take during lecture.

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Congratulations! I have two bags, one for class days and one for clinical days.

In the clinical bag:

reusable water bottle

a couple of healthy snacks

WhiteCoat clipboard with clinical forms, assessment forms, institutional policy notes, etc

stethoscope, pen light, extra battery for pen light

extra pair of socks (I live in NYC and walking from the subway in the winter sometimes means snow in your shoes)

Penguin caffeinated mints

Dr. Grip pens (I love these pens)

smelling salts snappies in case something makes me feel faint (never had to use them)

flash cards for whatever exam I have coming up

extra lip balm, extra hand lotion

alcohol wipes and flushes always end up in there

extra rubber bands for my hair

My class bag is a rolling backpack, because I have to carry a ton of things on the subway (always save your back!):

A white binder for each class with 5 rainbow dividers with pockets- one pocket/divider for each exam during the semester

index cards because I'm addicted to flash cards

Crayola pencil erasable highlighters (I hate liquid highlighters)

Dr. Grip pens (try them, you'll see!) and refills

stapler

rainbow page flags (I use a different color for each exam during the semester)

single dose packs of Aleve, ibuprofen, and aspirin

Dr. Bach's Rescue Remedy drops for pre-exam stress

lozenges (to give out to other students- someone is always coughing and it's distracting)

lunch bag (I like to bring lunch from home)

warmup jacket for cold classrooms

student planner (I write EVERYTHING on it)

extra pair of socks (see note about socks above)

if it's winter, pocket warmers, if it's summer, scented freshwipes

freshening spray for hair, extra rubber bands

extra lip balm, lotion, hand sanitizer

Fresh Ones sanitizing wipes to wipe my desk with (especially during cold & flu season)

I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. I like to be super organized, and so far it's helped me stay on the Dean's List, so I encourage others to do the same. I see other students get bad grades all the time simply from forgetting assignments or getting behind on material, and when you have to get an 80 or better to pass, every point makes a difference.

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