Where do you put your STUFF

quiet_one · Nov 19, 2009

I try to stay organized (not always successful:) I started out carrying EVERYTHING know to nurses in my pockets :) but now I have come up with a fairly good system for my pockets.

first of all I have a badge that clips on with a retractable string. in addition to my name badge, i also have several badges with helpful tips that i use frequently (like order of tops for lab draws) and numbers i need to remember. I also keep my key to the linen room and my pen light on my badge (really want to get a small sharpie too) I also carry around a clipboard (one with a flip cover so i can cover up when in a patients room) this has all the important phone extensions and doctors numbers that I use...i'm always adding to it! I keep my 'brain' here too :)

I have a scrapbook tote that I keep next to my computer in the nurses station with everything I need that I don't use all the time (like 5 diff color highlighters, my pocket reference, all my colored pens, breath mints, extras of all my pocket items etc.) In my pockets I rotate items from this out as the night progresses to items I may need, like each time I round I write my info in a different color ink..I only need my expo marker and eraser cloth on my first rounds...sometimes I know I will be needing extra gauze or paper tape when I go in the room. Some items that are always in my pockets are: sharpie, alcohol wipes, a flush, tape, pen, scissors, telemetry stickers, and a pair of gloves. I have found this works well for me since I can usually anticipate if I will need any other items before I leave the nurses station.

oguesswhat · Nov 20, 2009

I have a bag. I'm a new nurse and all the nurses on my floor carry them. I carry alcahol pads, note pads, pens, syringes, needles for insulin pens and things such as that. I can carry it on my arm. It is very convient. I don't use my pockets for much.

DAMomma · Nov 20, 2009

http://nursepropack.easystorecreator.net/items/Med-Packs~Medium-/list.htm
Can't work without it!! Love it!

What a nice site! Thank you to everyone for your suggestions...I am a work in progress. One thing I am finding it when I buy scrubs, I need to avoid the ones with pockets vertical on the seem. The other night I had a trail of alc wipes falling out of my pocket down the hall. I need the pockets straight down on the front.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 20, 2009

I'm in psych, so I don't need to carry around a lot. I have a clipboard for papers, I clip my pens to my shirt, and anything else I need can usually fit in a pocket :)

medicrn16 · Nov 20, 2009

How you organize carrying all of your stuff? I have one of those pocket organizers, but when I am running thru the night I usually will not stop to put it back in my organizer. I also use one of the hospital lanyards around my neck and I will clip my pen, highlighter, sharpie, mechanical pencil on it while having my mini flashlight, scissors, alc pads, and my "brain sheet" in my pocket. I like to wear cargo scrub pants so I can carry my flushes in my leg pocket. I am a mess.
I find myself tossing my lanyard over my shoulder while assessing patients (germ control) but I am afraid I am going to hang myself doing that...can you imagine the headlines, "Nurse hangs herself while helping others".
Have yall came up with any great ideas to organize your stuff?

Best advice I could give you....get RID of the hanging lanyard. More trouble than it's worth and a bacteria-spreading nightmare just waiting to happen :twocents:

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Nov 20, 2009

Best advice I could give you....get RID of the hanging lanyard. More trouble than it's worth and a bacteria-spreading nightmare just waiting to happen

I second that! I tossed mine years ago, even though our hospital encourages them. I put my ID card on a zip line that can be attached to a pocket or to the v-neck of my scrub top. My nursing school pin is threaded through the vinyl loop on the zip line and hangs just so that it conceals my last name from view. Doesn't hang away from the body, doesn't get caught on anything, is easily pulled out to swipe my barcode for the smart pumps and any other reason, and is still visible. I did have an "oh-oh" moment a couple of weeks ago though. My relatively new attending was staring rather intently at my chest. When I called him on it, he said, "Ive never seen one of those before. What is that?" What's WHAT? Turned out he was asking about my nursing school pin, which was earned in another city. Oh, okay!

Michelle123 · Nov 26, 2009

If you do wear a bum bag (sorry can't bring myself to use the F word as it means lady parts over here) it needs to be washable. What do you think of this:

http://www.nursestuff.com.au/mu-bag-4

Or this

http://www.medshop.com.au/pick-pocket-pouch.html

They are both washable.

I need to get one. My old one is just about falling apart.

We aren't allowed to were scrubs unless we are in a specialised area (ICU, ED, Maternity) so we have a uniform which has generally one shirt pocket and pants with normal pockets that don't keep much in them.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Nov 26, 2009

I wear cargo scrub pants and for everything else I just have a sling bag I got from Target that I toss in a cabinet.

mcknis · Nov 27, 2009

If you do wear a bum bag (sorry can't bring myself to use the F word as it means lady parts over here) it needs to be washable. What do you think of this:
http://www.nursestuff.com.au/mu-bag-4
Or this
http://www.medshop.com.au/pick-pocket-pouch.html

What ever you call it, it still resembles the (ahem) fanny pack. I dont think I would wear one, but i choose to keep everything I frequently use in my cargo pockets. I just restock when I need to.

86toronado, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2009

Wow! You guys carry alot of stuff! I usually just have a multi-colored pen in my right hip pocket, along with a stack of alchohol wipes and a tourniquet. I try to wear cargo pants every days so I can put my scissors in the cargo pocket. Stethoscope goes around my neck. My ID badge is on a retracting clip, attatched to that is my med box key, and a pen light. I'm thinking about adding a mini sharpie along with my pen light, for signing and dating IV's and dressings.

Everything else we need is already in the room... flushes are locked in med cabinets, tape, gauze etc in drawers in each patient room. I never really thought about what a big help that is, but I guess it really does save me pocket space!

Michelle123 · Nov 28, 2009

We aren't allowed to carry flushes around with us as all IV stuff has to be checked with another RN first.

So we usually have to draw it up in the med room.

pinkiepie_RN · Nov 29, 2009

I have a clipboard that holds papers on top and has a compartment for stuff inside and I use plastic pocket folders often used in binders to keep track of things for each of my patients. I'd also be lost without tops and pants with cargo pockets.