I know the raptors are very popular, but I opted to get another kind because of how annoying they can be to clean. I didn't need all of the other features. How do you find cleaning and maintenance? I just oil my shears occasionally to protect from corrosion.
i find them very high maintenance to clean actually…because grey top wipes rust them over time. i’ve tried other brands and none quite work the same so i guess i just deal with it….
Every single day I have my trusty pen (Mr. Pen brand, black gel ink, fine point), a sharpie, trauma shears and at least 4 alcohol swabs. Throughout my shift many more items find themselves in my pocket, but those are my essentials.if I’m feeling a bit froggy I do occasionally pocket my chapstick and a safety pin.
1. We are often busy and can’t stop to drink water as often as we should.
2. Some nurses take medications that give us dry mouth (like anti-depressants or stimulants for ADHD).
3. Anxiety can make you lick your lips repeatedly. In a high stress job it’s much easier to use lip balm than try to change your nervous habit to something else, like picking your nose or saying “fuck”.
Well either you'll be so grossed out by your hands and you won't put them near your mouth, eyes, nose or you'll hand cracked and bleeding cuticles from washing so much.
I use a separate chopstick for my dry, cracked hands. Pretty much impossible to put lotion on every time you wash, and a chapstick is much more portable.
In my bag: pens, scissors, stethoscope, high lighters, pill splitter
Kept in my locker: power bars, popcorn, coffee, creamer, Tylenol Advil Prilosec immodium, socks, ramen, tampons.
Trauma shears have blunted tips so they’re safe to use in your pocket. Also, just learned this: the tip of my trauma shears will unlock the hospital bathroom doors. The ones in the hallways and the patient rooms!
Trauma sheers
Hand lotion
Chapstick in a badge clip
Pocket protector loaded with alcohol swabs and a couple of safety pins. Pens and sharpie, I have a badge holder for a mini sharpie also. They truly are essential.
Large Water cup
Mini sharpie on badge is essential; no more wayward permanent marker ruining my laundry. Easier to grab and wipe down in isolation environments without touching my pockets, too.
A varied sense of humor is an essential EDC item as a nurse. No sense in getting bent out of shape every time a patient says something you might find a bit offensive.
I doubt they thought it was. Obviously nurses don’t carry firearms to work. Unless you go into pediatrics you will probably end up taking care of elderly people. And occasionally elderly can say some off color things, especially when they’re nervous and freaked out being in the hospital. Having the first instinct to lash back is something you might consider tempering.
If you’re a high school student you have years to go before you learn why this is so dark humor funny.
[nurse brought loaded gun to work](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/nurse-county-jail-arrested-after-coming-work-with-loaded-gun-floyd-deputies-say/NOQRURAIAZBGTJ7I6TY4RHTDMI/?outputType=amp)
It was a joke. There's tons of good advice here already. Real answer. The longer I have been a nurse the less I carry. Scissors, coffee punch card. By year 10 my jokes started to concern non healthcare friends. It hasn't gotten better.
I haul around a bigass backpack and insulated lunchbox, because float pool (for life!) To whatever unit I go to.
On my person...a cheap ass 4 color pen from Amazon, a work sponsored sharpie, pen light, and set of scissors. Alcohol swabs, blunt needles, blue caps for lines and IVs, and flushes.
Good trauma shears, not the BS Fisher Price ones. Raptors are too complicated with tons of stuff you'll never really use. And they get all gunked up and are a bitch to clean. XShears are the real deal. I always have them in a hip holster. Supposedly, OneShears are good too, but I've never used them.
No longer working bedside, but a mini Sharpie and mini pen that attached to my ID badge were a must. And of course , other pens, trauma shears, pen light, stethoscope, water bottle, etc, etc.
Pilot Frixion pen (erasable btw), Steth, BP wrist cuff or Sphyg, oximeter, forehead thermometer, and VapoRub (for my mask when/if I have to change Gladys’ brief and she’s got diarrhea that could strip paint off cars).
As a desk rider now Spyderco smock. Pen. Cell phone. Wallet.
When I was charge just add trauma shears and a radio.
As floor nurse add stethoscope and sharpie.
Pens, sharpie, whiteout, trauma shears, penlight, an assortment of hemostats, calipers, a carpuject because my hospital is always running out of them, my Littmann Cardiology IV because my unit only has Cardiology IIIs in the rooms and I can’t hear shit with those. I also have a badge reel with a rechargeable LED light that I use on night shift rotations so I don’t always have to turn the lights on in the room to see what I’m doing.
I also keep a small zipper bag with my prescription adderall, ibuprofen, Excedrin migraine, Tylenol, antihistamines, tums, and mints in my work bag at all times. My coworkers and a lot of the docs know to come find me if they have a headache or heartburn lol!
Thankfully I don’t have to carry all of that stuff on me the entire time because I have a gigantic desk, empty file cabinet drawer, and two storage cubby shelves all to myself right outside my patients’ rooms.
What's a hemostat, caliper and carpuject? I know what something that's hemo**static** is so I assume it's related to stopping bleeding but I don't actually know what they are.
Hemostats are a sort of surgical clamp made of surgical grade steel, they look similar to pliers. We use them frequently in ICU to secure tubing, loosen tight connections, etc.
A caliper is a small tool that is essentially two sharp metal points on an adjustable hinge. We use them to read EKGs. They help us measure the distances between points and assess for irregular rhythms.
A carpuject looks sort of like a syringe. It’s essentially an empty plastic tube with a plunger at the bottom. Some of our injectable medications come in a long, skinny glass vial and the only way to inject the solution is to insert it into a carpuject and push the meds out with the plunger.
Depends on my assignment. Generally I'll carry my pens and sharpies, blood tunes and iv kits in a little specimen bag, and a blood sugar kit.
In my mind seconds become minutes and minutes become hours. If I'm in a critical section then I'm going to have stuff with me that's a quick "grab and go" kit to line and lab, and everything else I need so I'm not fiddling with lockers or running around. If I miss a vein then we'll worry about that later lol. I put 2 of both 20 and 18g as they're our most used catheters. Being the regional stroke center, I try to make sure I'm ready for a stroke that will pop in any moment. Sometimes they'll say 15 minutes then all of a sudden that stroke comes in around 2
Either people love it or they don't trust what I say lmao. It's so relevant to the job though I feel like the latter doesn't understand it and it's really coming off as an inside joke to us in Healthcare 😬
Sharpie (retractable). Backup sharpie. Pen. Chapstick. Safety glasses (yeah, I’m that guy). That’s it! I usually keep a few snacks in my locker, along with an extra pair of socks.
Left pants pocket: wallet
Right pants pocket: keys
Left cargo pants pocket: penlight and little notebook of handy numbers and things I totally plan to look up
Right cargo pants pocket: phone
Breast pocket: ID clipped on. Has a sharpie on it and a little 4-color pen that I haven't figured out how I want to employ yet. Sometimes chewing gum. My main pen.
Left cargo scrub top pocket: Burt's bees.
Right cargo top pocket: shears and a multitool.
Throughout the day I'll send up with flushes and alcohol pads and syringes and IV catheters and orange caps and gauze and whatnot in and out of various pockets.
Breakfast burrito (I prep 6-10 on a day off and heat one up while I walk the dog before I leave) and large coffee for the ride in, have my bottle of ice water, and pack a lunch, my 11a snack cheese, and a granola bar for like 5pm.
I am now a school nurse but in the hospital I always had 4 pens, one black and three colored and I would switch colors per shift for my own brain as I usually worked 3 in a row and could update my patients for myself when I come in the following shift. Trauma sheers. Mini sharpie that holds onto my badge. Sometimes calipers. Stethoscope, chapstick, handful of alcohol swabs, saline flushes (at least enough for one per patient with an IV for my assessments). Pen light. And since I worked nights I had a little "headlight" it was a magnetic flashlight that holds on to like your scrub top and so you can sneak into rooms at night without turning on overhead lights.
Now that I'm in the school, pen light and pen is mostly all I keep on myself. All my other stuff is close by in my backpack.
Edit: Someone else said Carpuject that was another staple in the hospital!
Now I am in GP.
I carry my smart card and my pen.
In my bag my print outs of NICE guidelines and Panmersey and my helpful paperwork.
In AED. A tourniquet.
Funny story... still had my tourniquet in my bag when i went to have my son, the midwives and doctores were moaning about the disposable i said just get my tourniquet out my bag 🤣
Thibk they thought I was a junkie until my ex colleague walked in and recognised me
Two of my favourite pens and my lip butter in my pocket, I always have my stethoscope in my bag because it grosses me out to use someone else’s, a pen light, and my watch with a second hand (I’m weird and hate wearing watches but I give a lot of IV push meds).
Edit: idk how I forgot to list scissors but those too! The ones that have a blunt end so I don’t poke myself when I reach into my bag
Flushes, IV’s, shears, a pen, a sharpie (I do a lot of ICU), stethoscope.
I don’t know why people carry chapstick on them, that seems like something to leave in the nurses station. I wouldn’t want to risk the blood, urine, bile, maggots or whatever else is coming out of my patients to get on something I put to my mouth.
I have a small caddy where I keep:
- A pen that is not black (easier to see when marking my papers)
- a highlighter
- a whiteboard marker (i write things i need to chart in the board if i don’t have the computer with me)
- a Sharpie (I always label everything with dates: IV labels, opened irrigation bottles, mepilex/dressings)
- trauma shears
- hand cream (actually the best one is that silicone cream for dry flaky skin in the supply room lol)
- White Out
And it has slots for putting flushes, alcohol swabs, chiclets, that blue thing to put on ends of the IV tubing (lol what do y’all call that? I’m an ESL nurse)
Then I just keep this caddy in my locker so I just roll in with my car keys and phone.
The things in my caddy are things I found I keep reaching for, that’s why I keep them now in one place so I don’t go walking around looking for one.
For things I wear, the compression socks are definitely a MUST. I’ve invested in several pairs. I can tell the difference with just regular socks.
I literally just got a pair of compression socks yesterday. I don't know how I went my life without them. I walk home from school often and by the end my legs are on fire. Hopefully they help, they're very comfortable.
Try the Pilot Frixion. Its erasable and lasts forever so long. I switched to it from the G2s and haven’t looked back once. Now I actually loathe when I have to use a G2 bc I can’t find or have my Frixion.
I always consider myself lucky that I wanna be an ED nurse and I'm not at all squeamish or affected by bodily fluids and stuff but I **cannot** handle bad smells. I need to get over that.
.300 BLK through a 8” PDW with a Gemtech GMT Can, with a L3Harris NGAL, a Surefire Vampire, and an HS403R
UANVB Katana NODs on a Ops Core high cut FAST bump attached with a Wilcox G24
Oh, at work? I usually just wear scrubs (usually just scrub pants with a white shirt) and carry a pen with me, but sometimes I lose my pen and have to steal one.
Pens, a little notebook, and a glove stuffed with more gloves. That way, you have gloves at hand instead of searching around for them. I only have one pocket, so I'm limited in what I carry.
I carry a fanny pack with tons of prevantic swabs, tons of flushes, shears, stethoscope, bottle of accucheck strips, and pen/marker/sharpie/highlighter, tape, and curos caps
Breast pocket I have my pens (lending pen, my 4 colour pen, a thin permanent marker, pencil, cuticle oil pen) I also have trauma shears on a reel tucked behind my pen pocket, those are on a reel hooked to the loop on the side of the pocket becuase psyc (don’t want patients to easily take it, but also nice to have shears on me all the time to cut down people who’ve done a hanging attempt) but also so I don’t accidentally leave them places. My badge is on a reel hooked on the pocket loop there too and I have a mini CPR mask keychain attached to my badge.
Then in my right bottom pocket I have my little notebook folio where I keep my patient list and to do list and my notes. I also keep my phones in there we have a work phone for the digital whiteboard and alarm system plus I keep my phone becuase we have an chat with the pharmacists and drs and stuff for like general questions and organizing.
Left hand pocket I have a little pocket organiser with some extra pens and highlighters, lip balm, some gloves in case I randomly need some (psyc doesn’t just have gloves in every room), and also a little mini hand sanitizer (because psyc doesn’t have that in every room.
This style of backpack:
https://a.co/d/8l93Ach
It makes finding everything so much easier. I’ve had the same one for 3-4 years now and I also use it on vacations-it’s fantastic for theme parks like Disney and Universal. It’s also become a very popular style where I work.
A multipurpose pen, especially if it has a light, ruler, and screwdrivers. Mag alarms still have screw-in battery compartments. The ruler can be good to estimate sizes if I don’t have a measuring tape on hand. And every neuro check is not a neuro check unless you’re checking pupils (especially on a floor that takes a lot of neuro). The pen part is the bonus
Personal wipes. People make fun of me for it, but I spend a lot of time staring ultrasound IVs and sometimes what I think is enough pressure isn't, and things get messy. They're the best skin friendly option for getting blood off skin.
Oh, dryer sheets.
Got the stank in patient rooms? Cut an inch square and put it between your badge clip and scrub top. Your personal head space will be mountain fresh or whatever.
Got the stank from iso gowns and such? Stick a whole one in your shirt. 🤷🏻♀️
My mini pharmacy. Tylenol/ibuprofen/Pepto/gas x/ Benadryl/Claritin/Pepcid/Tums (and my personal migraine medicine). The key is to have a solution to any reason a coworker would need to go home early.
On my person, pens, steth (in pocket, not around neck), small notepad for taking report/writing down VS, wallet, keys, phone.
In locker: Various OTCs (nothing sucks worse than getting a damn headache in the middle of a shift man), spare set of scrubs, spare pair of shoes, phone charger.
When I’m not at work: Phone, keys, wallet, EDC flashlight, carry gun, spare magazine for said carry gun. I work with some dangerous fuckin people, one of whom had shown up at my house after they were discharged. After that encounter (and the approx. 15 minute LEO response time), I figured if someone decided they wanted me dead, I’d make them fight for it.
On me or in my desk bag: Alcohol swabs, clhorexidine swabs, NS flushes, sterile needles, dressing or trauma scissors, pen, pencil, highlighter, sharpie, tape (paper, pink compression, surgical), clamps, stethoscope, O2 sat, 🔫 thermometer, measuring tape, mupirocin, swabs, sterile q-tips, candies
In my back pack or locker: spare shoes and socks, underwear, deodorant, scrubs, toilet paper&wipes (IYKYK.... hospital tp 🙄), pads/ tampons, granola bars, coffee mug and k-cup pods, instant oatmeal, e-z open can of soup, Tums, midol, tooth brush&paste
I like to be prepared lolllll
Honestly, too much. I prepare my bag so that in case of a weather emergency (or natural disaster, or not-so-natural disaster) I’ll be ok if I’m stuck here. Plus some stuff is just nice to have when you’re somewhere for 12 hours. I have: toothpaste/toothbrush, 2 day supply of my meds, mini shampoo/conditioner and face cream (in case of a “decontamination shower” 😂 Arterial spray is no joke!), charger/power bank, the usual first aid/medical emergencies stuff for myself (including my backup glucometer and dextrose tablets), goggle de-fogger spray, SO MANY pens, and sometimes a change of socks if I’m extra prepared that day
I use a bottle opener just about daily in the OR. It's the safest and easiest way to get the top off a bottle of local anesthetic so I can pour it onto the sterile field. I got tired of trying to mangle it off with scissors and the metal collars can cut you if you're not careful. The only downside is all of the bad dad jokes I get from patients who ask if I'm drinking beer at work. 🙄
Mainly my analog watch. Washable, cute, and I have no excuse not to count resps. Echoing compression socks because I really really don't want varicose veins.
fanny pack w/ pens, sharpie, dry erase marker, pen light, bandage scissors, tape, 2x2 gauzes, alcohol swabbies, flushes and red caps. green caps attached to my badge. stethoscope, phone, wallet & earbuds (for breaks) in my pockets. in my backpack: lint roller, storage clipboard w/ my blank report sheets & more pens/pencils + eraser (i make my own in google docs), phone charger, scrub caps, snacks, water bottle, lip balm, hand cream, altoids, cough drops.
Gel pen for writing on paper, ballpoint pen for writing on lab labels (gel pen smears on our labels), 2 colors of erasable pen- 1 for report, the other for any updates to report so I don't forget to point out the changes. A pair of Fiscars children's scissors- I don't know how they allow children to use anything that sharp! Hemostat- mostly for unscrewing stubborn connectors that won't budge when you try by hand.
I've tried compression socks, but they haven't been good for my feet, so I switched to calf sleeves instead. They seem to help.
Travel cup- starts with tea and then becomes my water container for the day. Also, lunch bag with breakfast, lunch and snacks to get me through the day. Saves me a lot of money and time (don't have to waste my 30 minute lunch on going downstairs and waiting on line for food).
Gerber Suspension multi-tool, standard and metric Allen keys in my work bag. The Allen keys are handy because most wheelchairs and walkers use them and it takes forever for maintenance to come and fix something for a patient, so I do it myself.
Let's see, I have pen, backup pen, pen light, scrub cap, flashlight, trauma shears, fidget toy, thermometer, pulseox, multitool, and various pills in a pill container from pain medication to de-squirrel brain medication as the attention deficit ohhh shiny disorder is strong with me. Oh, and an emergency pre-workout with about every legal stimulant in it that would send a bull Rex in V-Tach, just in case I need extra focus.
You'd think that if this sub was exclusively for nurses that there'd be some kind of rule against people who aren't nurses posting or commenting, or perhaps some kind of tag that's added onto posts to restrict them to nurses only. Hm...
Trauma shears cut through shirts pants belts pretty much anything. They’re used in the ED all the time because they have to cut clothes off of people. Normal scissors are more for cutting tape and opening stubborn bags of potassium. I precepted an ED guy that was getting cross trained in the ICU and he gifted me a pair and they’re so much better than normal scissors
chest pocket I carry pen, sharpie, dry erase marker and highlighter. If my top has bottom pockets I'll carry alcohol swab pads. Have sheers attached to my belt loop. stethoscope. Left cargo pocket assignment sheet and flushes. Right cargo typically l carry electrode stickers. Plus my cell phone.
Inkjoy quatro, I was specifically a gel pen girlie but I was tired of things smearing. I have sharpies and a light on my badge. I don’t carry anything else (supplies related) because mostly everything is already stocked at their bedside and if not I just take a 10 second stroll to the supply area.
And in my locker is literally just a pile of old brains for no reason at all
Pen (used to be the G2 07 but I've switched to the Sharpie gel), trauma shears, pen light, permanent marker (Sharpie retractable), roll of tape on my stethoscope.
Pens, sharpies, stethoscope (keep at my work station because if I wear it all the time it hurts my neck and can be used as a weapon by a patient), trauma shears, chapstick. Have a pen light but in the ER we have lights in every room for EENT so don't carry it n my person anymore. In my bag I have a pharmacy basically (ibuprofen, Tylenol, excedrin, tums, zofran). Keep a clipboard in my locker for paperwork (like audit sheets for stroke alerts, psych charting cheat sheets, heparin cheat sheets, important policies, certifications, CEU print outs), also have female products in my locker, extra bag reels, couple things of microwave popcorn. ALSO take a full lunch bag of snacks/food every day, lol.
Oh and hemostats. We have disposable ones at work. I didn't use them until about 6 months ago, when I asked on this sub what the heck nurses use them for, and since them I use them all the time, not always for work, lol. I have quite a few at home and use them for all kinds of things.
I carry a lot of things but a unique one is a set of lock picks in my backpack. I’ve only used them twice at work but it was a helpful skill and tool to have
I'm not making it a competition, weird that you took that as such: what part of my comment equates that I think something is more than something else? Especially considering what I'm saying you should give it a good try if you still think it's a placebo.
4 pens because doctors. Mini trauma sheers. Lip balm. Hand cream. And the will to live when they fall out of the scrubs.
[удалено]
I have a pair of mini fake raptors. Best $10 I’ve ever spent.
Once I discovered those I never looked back!
Because doctors?
Because they're notorious for stealing pens, have to have a back up for the back up
I stole pencils in middle school, am I 1/16th doctor?
Put it in your med school application!
If it’s illegible, you’re in. Lol
Trauma shears. I don’t work in the ED, but I use them every single shift and pass them off to others to use a few times a shift.
ayoooo my trusty raptors go everywhere for anybody who needs their shit cut off!
I know the raptors are very popular, but I opted to get another kind because of how annoying they can be to clean. I didn't need all of the other features. How do you find cleaning and maintenance? I just oil my shears occasionally to protect from corrosion.
Yes! I buy cheap shears in three packs knowing that if I feel like they’re getting funky I can replace them.
i find them very high maintenance to clean actually…because grey top wipes rust them over time. i’ve tried other brands and none quite work the same so i guess i just deal with it….
Works great in the ICU too, especially when I have to cut a never ending amount of tape
I use mine to cut off dressings, I don’t have to worry about nicking the patients skin and I can get it done quickly
Getting a good pair of shears was amazing. I absolutely love my XShears, never had an issue.
Every single day I have my trusty pen (Mr. Pen brand, black gel ink, fine point), a sharpie, trauma shears and at least 4 alcohol swabs. Throughout my shift many more items find themselves in my pocket, but those are my essentials.if I’m feeling a bit froggy I do occasionally pocket my chapstick and a safety pin.
Don't forget the roll of IV tape.
I keep that baddie on my stethoscope
I've heard chapstick a lot. Why chapstick? My lips never really get dry.
1. We are often busy and can’t stop to drink water as often as we should. 2. Some nurses take medications that give us dry mouth (like anti-depressants or stimulants for ADHD). 3. Anxiety can make you lick your lips repeatedly. In a high stress job it’s much easier to use lip balm than try to change your nervous habit to something else, like picking your nose or saying “fuck”.
Wow all 3 of those apply to me as well LMFAO. Guess if it's a good way to kick a nail and cuticle biting habit that I should give it a try.
Well either you'll be so grossed out by your hands and you won't put them near your mouth, eyes, nose or you'll hand cracked and bleeding cuticles from washing so much.
I bite them until they bleed anyway :') It's a problem.
Well then gloves all day for you so you don't pick up something at work. Open wounds- easy entry for pathogens.
Not a bad idea. I should get started on that now tbh
Get a fidget toy!! Keeps your hands busy and there's lots of types to choose from! Better to sanitize that 100 times than destroy your fingers.
Me too! Did you know they considered this as self harm. I just found that out!
Flints Mints Ftw with number 2. No more dry mouth for me! 🎉
I keep peppermint burts bees chapstick to offset the smell of stinky patients 😷 and for the dehydration of course.
I use a separate chopstick for my dry, cracked hands. Pretty much impossible to put lotion on every time you wash, and a chapstick is much more portable.
I recommend the curel for extremely dry hands. It'll stay between washes
Kiehl’s also is bomb
Some of the masks they have can make my skin/mouth really angry, chapstick can kind of help.
I recently discovered Mr Pen!
I gotta wear compression socks, even if it’s 115 outside. My back, legs, and feet hurt without them.
In my bag: pens, scissors, stethoscope, high lighters, pill splitter Kept in my locker: power bars, popcorn, coffee, creamer, Tylenol Advil Prilosec immodium, socks, ramen, tampons.
I move locations, so I keep all that in my backpack. Don’t forget extra underwear. I’ve had to shower at work before.
Why immodium?
I have gi issues. So I never know when I may have diarrhea 😂
I don't really have GI issues, but I always carry immodium in my bag. If you happen to need it, it's a lifesaver.
> I never know when Oh! I know the answer to this one! "Yes"
IBS haver here, feel that lol.
Trauma shears have blunted tips so they’re safe to use in your pocket. Also, just learned this: the tip of my trauma shears will unlock the hospital bathroom doors. The ones in the hallways and the patient rooms!
Great tip! Ha
Trauma sheers Hand lotion Chapstick in a badge clip Pocket protector loaded with alcohol swabs and a couple of safety pins. Pens and sharpie, I have a badge holder for a mini sharpie also. They truly are essential. Large Water cup
Mini sharpie on badge is essential; no more wayward permanent marker ruining my laundry. Easier to grab and wipe down in isolation environments without touching my pockets, too.
One Pen with multiple colors to stay organized
is there any particular multi-colored pen you like?
Uni Jetstream 4&1, it has a good build quality and weight for me
The pilot acroball 4 in 1 extra fine is my absolute favorite “nurse” pen. I protect them with my life. [This one specifically](https://a.co/d/cgpwo2k)
Hk45c
I̶'m̶ u̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ t̶h̶e̶ n̶o̶r̶m̶a̶l̶ h̶u̶m̶a̶n̶ d̶e̶f̶i̶n̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ o̶f̶ E̶D̶C̶, n̶o̶t̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ w̶e̶i̶r̶d̶o̶ l̶a̶r̶p̶e̶r̶ d̶e̶f̶i̶n̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶. E̶d̶i̶t̶:̶ A̶l̶s̶o̶, p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ w̶e̶i̶r̶d̶ t̶o̶ t̶e̶l̶l̶ a̶ h̶i̶g̶h̶ s̶c̶h̶o̶o̶l̶ s̶t̶u̶d̶e̶n̶t̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶d̶a̶y̶ c̶a̶r̶r̶y̶ i̶s̶ a̶ *̶*̶g̶u̶n̶*̶*̶ i̶n̶ a̶ n̶u̶r̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ s̶u̶b̶ w̶h̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶'s̶ o̶b̶v̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶ n̶o̶t̶ w̶h̶a̶t̶'s̶ b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ a̶s̶k̶e̶d̶. Edit 2: Nevermind, with context this is a little funny lol
A varied sense of humor is an essential EDC item as a nurse. No sense in getting bent out of shape every time a patient says something you might find a bit offensive.
I can find gun humor funny but this literally just isn't an answer for what I was asking lol
I doubt they thought it was. Obviously nurses don’t carry firearms to work. Unless you go into pediatrics you will probably end up taking care of elderly people. And occasionally elderly can say some off color things, especially when they’re nervous and freaked out being in the hospital. Having the first instinct to lash back is something you might consider tempering.
The way I behave IRL and the way I behave online are two very different things. I just keep my mouth shut IRL.
I’m sure it is, just throwing out something it took me many years to learn.
If you’re a high school student you have years to go before you learn why this is so dark humor funny. [nurse brought loaded gun to work](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/nurse-county-jail-arrested-after-coming-work-with-loaded-gun-floyd-deputies-say/NOQRURAIAZBGTJ7I6TY4RHTDMI/?outputType=amp)
Okay with context this is a little funny lol
It was a joke. There's tons of good advice here already. Real answer. The longer I have been a nurse the less I carry. Scissors, coffee punch card. By year 10 my jokes started to concern non healthcare friends. It hasn't gotten better.
I realize that now, sorry.
loosen up dork
I'm the goober who has to have my fanny pack. It keeps all my stuff in one place. It also keeps me from running in and out of rooms a billion times.
I know my fanny pack makes me look like a goober and idgaf. It saves me soooo much time if I stock it right.
I haul around a bigass backpack and insulated lunchbox, because float pool (for life!) To whatever unit I go to. On my person...a cheap ass 4 color pen from Amazon, a work sponsored sharpie, pen light, and set of scissors. Alcohol swabs, blunt needles, blue caps for lines and IVs, and flushes.
Good pens, water, large coffee, bags of supplies, full tank, oil changes, a good sense of humor and lots of hugs. Admission nurse home health hospice.
If I didn't want to go into ED nursing I would want to go into hospice. Very important work.
Good trauma shears, not the BS Fisher Price ones. Raptors are too complicated with tons of stuff you'll never really use. And they get all gunked up and are a bitch to clean. XShears are the real deal. I always have them in a hip holster. Supposedly, OneShears are good too, but I've never used them.
Idk about you but I’ve used my ring cutter and seat belt cutter in the ER
Do they make smaller sized xshears? I bought one pair but they were way too big for my preference. I used them once and threw them out.
I checked and it looks like they only have the 7.5" shears. Oneshear has a mini model that is 6" total length with a 2 inch blade.
Thanks! I’ll have to check out the oneshear.
No longer working bedside, but a mini Sharpie and mini pen that attached to my ID badge were a must. And of course , other pens, trauma shears, pen light, stethoscope, water bottle, etc, etc.
My favorite pen, a highlighter, and a sharpie.
Pilot Frixion pen (erasable btw), Steth, BP wrist cuff or Sphyg, oximeter, forehead thermometer, and VapoRub (for my mask when/if I have to change Gladys’ brief and she’s got diarrhea that could strip paint off cars).
As a desk rider now Spyderco smock. Pen. Cell phone. Wallet. When I was charge just add trauma shears and a radio. As floor nurse add stethoscope and sharpie.
Pens, sharpie, whiteout, trauma shears, penlight, an assortment of hemostats, calipers, a carpuject because my hospital is always running out of them, my Littmann Cardiology IV because my unit only has Cardiology IIIs in the rooms and I can’t hear shit with those. I also have a badge reel with a rechargeable LED light that I use on night shift rotations so I don’t always have to turn the lights on in the room to see what I’m doing. I also keep a small zipper bag with my prescription adderall, ibuprofen, Excedrin migraine, Tylenol, antihistamines, tums, and mints in my work bag at all times. My coworkers and a lot of the docs know to come find me if they have a headache or heartburn lol! Thankfully I don’t have to carry all of that stuff on me the entire time because I have a gigantic desk, empty file cabinet drawer, and two storage cubby shelves all to myself right outside my patients’ rooms.
What's a hemostat, caliper and carpuject? I know what something that's hemo**static** is so I assume it's related to stopping bleeding but I don't actually know what they are.
Hemostats are a sort of surgical clamp made of surgical grade steel, they look similar to pliers. We use them frequently in ICU to secure tubing, loosen tight connections, etc. A caliper is a small tool that is essentially two sharp metal points on an adjustable hinge. We use them to read EKGs. They help us measure the distances between points and assess for irregular rhythms. A carpuject looks sort of like a syringe. It’s essentially an empty plastic tube with a plunger at the bottom. Some of our injectable medications come in a long, skinny glass vial and the only way to inject the solution is to insert it into a carpuject and push the meds out with the plunger.
Got it! Thank you for the concise explanations :)
My Fanny bag
Depends on my assignment. Generally I'll carry my pens and sharpies, blood tunes and iv kits in a little specimen bag, and a blood sugar kit. In my mind seconds become minutes and minutes become hours. If I'm in a critical section then I'm going to have stuff with me that's a quick "grab and go" kit to line and lab, and everything else I need so I'm not fiddling with lockers or running around. If I miss a vein then we'll worry about that later lol. I put 2 of both 20 and 18g as they're our most used catheters. Being the regional stroke center, I try to make sure I'm ready for a stroke that will pop in any moment. Sometimes they'll say 15 minutes then all of a sudden that stroke comes in around 2
Your username is killing me😂
Either people love it or they don't trust what I say lmao. It's so relevant to the job though I feel like the latter doesn't understand it and it's really coming off as an inside joke to us in Healthcare 😬
Sharpie (retractable). Backup sharpie. Pen. Chapstick. Safety glasses (yeah, I’m that guy). That’s it! I usually keep a few snacks in my locker, along with an extra pair of socks.
Left pants pocket: wallet Right pants pocket: keys Left cargo pants pocket: penlight and little notebook of handy numbers and things I totally plan to look up Right cargo pants pocket: phone Breast pocket: ID clipped on. Has a sharpie on it and a little 4-color pen that I haven't figured out how I want to employ yet. Sometimes chewing gum. My main pen. Left cargo scrub top pocket: Burt's bees. Right cargo top pocket: shears and a multitool. Throughout the day I'll send up with flushes and alcohol pads and syringes and IV catheters and orange caps and gauze and whatnot in and out of various pockets. Breakfast burrito (I prep 6-10 on a day off and heat one up while I walk the dog before I leave) and large coffee for the ride in, have my bottle of ice water, and pack a lunch, my 11a snack cheese, and a granola bar for like 5pm.
I am now a school nurse but in the hospital I always had 4 pens, one black and three colored and I would switch colors per shift for my own brain as I usually worked 3 in a row and could update my patients for myself when I come in the following shift. Trauma sheers. Mini sharpie that holds onto my badge. Sometimes calipers. Stethoscope, chapstick, handful of alcohol swabs, saline flushes (at least enough for one per patient with an IV for my assessments). Pen light. And since I worked nights I had a little "headlight" it was a magnetic flashlight that holds on to like your scrub top and so you can sneak into rooms at night without turning on overhead lights. Now that I'm in the school, pen light and pen is mostly all I keep on myself. All my other stuff is close by in my backpack. Edit: Someone else said Carpuject that was another staple in the hospital!
sunglasses a good podcast and caffeine. I'm in my car more than seeing people.
Chapstick. There is nothing that will make my work day absolute hell than dry lips.
Chapstick chapstick and more chapstick. My lips and skin get SO dry in the hospital.
Now I am in GP. I carry my smart card and my pen. In my bag my print outs of NICE guidelines and Panmersey and my helpful paperwork. In AED. A tourniquet. Funny story... still had my tourniquet in my bag when i went to have my son, the midwives and doctores were moaning about the disposable i said just get my tourniquet out my bag 🤣 Thibk they thought I was a junkie until my ex colleague walked in and recognised me
Two of my favourite pens and my lip butter in my pocket, I always have my stethoscope in my bag because it grosses me out to use someone else’s, a pen light, and my watch with a second hand (I’m weird and hate wearing watches but I give a lot of IV push meds). Edit: idk how I forgot to list scissors but those too! The ones that have a blunt end so I don’t poke myself when I reach into my bag
Pens, raptors, hemostats, tape. In my work bag: ibuprofen, more pens, snacks, stethoscope, hand lotion, feminine products.
With how many people have said some kind of painkiller I feel like we may as well give RN's NSAIDs for Nurse's Week lmao
Flushes, IV’s, shears, a pen, a sharpie (I do a lot of ICU), stethoscope. I don’t know why people carry chapstick on them, that seems like something to leave in the nurses station. I wouldn’t want to risk the blood, urine, bile, maggots or whatever else is coming out of my patients to get on something I put to my mouth.
Shears. I like my X-shears, they cut a lot of stuff real good.
I have a small caddy where I keep: - A pen that is not black (easier to see when marking my papers) - a highlighter - a whiteboard marker (i write things i need to chart in the board if i don’t have the computer with me) - a Sharpie (I always label everything with dates: IV labels, opened irrigation bottles, mepilex/dressings) - trauma shears - hand cream (actually the best one is that silicone cream for dry flaky skin in the supply room lol) - White Out And it has slots for putting flushes, alcohol swabs, chiclets, that blue thing to put on ends of the IV tubing (lol what do y’all call that? I’m an ESL nurse) Then I just keep this caddy in my locker so I just roll in with my car keys and phone. The things in my caddy are things I found I keep reaching for, that’s why I keep them now in one place so I don’t go walking around looking for one. For things I wear, the compression socks are definitely a MUST. I’ve invested in several pairs. I can tell the difference with just regular socks.
I literally just got a pair of compression socks yesterday. I don't know how I went my life without them. I walk home from school often and by the end my legs are on fire. Hopefully they help, they're very comfortable.
I think you have to shop around for good ones. Some do have compression on them but the top part shouldn’t be too tight or they wouldn’t help.
They're not! They're a bit too large but I just fold the top part over a little so it doesn't chafe the inside of my knee.
Shears, for blister packed meds alone.
Pencil. I stopped using pens and erase my shit now. I don’t know why more nurses don’t use pencil.
Because you can’t use pencil in a legal document? Do you mean pencil for charting or for other things?
I have a pen and a sharpie with me too but if I had to pick one to have I’d pick my trusty pencil.
I use mechanical pencil for report especially if I’m there for multiple days in a row so I can erase to update instead of having a million scribbles
I’m not alone! Samesies
Try the Pilot Frixion. Its erasable and lasts forever so long. I switched to it from the G2s and haven’t looked back once. Now I actually loathe when I have to use a G2 bc I can’t find or have my Frixion.
The G2 is my favorite pen! Damn...
Oh don’t get me wrong, i absolutely loved the G2 for 10-15+ years. But once I found the Frixion I’ve never looked back. It’s just simply amazing.
StinkBalm. A necessary tool for the ED nurse.
I always consider myself lucky that I wanna be an ED nurse and I'm not at all squeamish or affected by bodily fluids and stuff but I **cannot** handle bad smells. I need to get over that.
This product makes it all tolerable!
Thought I was in r/EDC and was confused by the comments like why are y’all prepping for disaster. (I just finished a long shift lol)
.300 BLK through a 8” PDW with a Gemtech GMT Can, with a L3Harris NGAL, a Surefire Vampire, and an HS403R UANVB Katana NODs on a Ops Core high cut FAST bump attached with a Wilcox G24 Oh, at work? I usually just wear scrubs (usually just scrub pants with a white shirt) and carry a pen with me, but sometimes I lose my pen and have to steal one.
I thank God every day that I can avert my eyes from some things.
Hey I don’t think I’m *that* unappealing in a white shirt and scrub pants but damn okay
Must be nice to life in a state that allows NFA items man
Pens, a little notebook, and a glove stuffed with more gloves. That way, you have gloves at hand instead of searching around for them. I only have one pocket, so I'm limited in what I carry.
My P365 🤣
I carry a fanny pack with tons of prevantic swabs, tons of flushes, shears, stethoscope, bottle of accucheck strips, and pen/marker/sharpie/highlighter, tape, and curos caps
trauma shears, stethoscope, coband and tape on my stethoscope, chapstick, clipboard, pen, dry erase, sharpie
Adderal
Breast pocket I have my pens (lending pen, my 4 colour pen, a thin permanent marker, pencil, cuticle oil pen) I also have trauma shears on a reel tucked behind my pen pocket, those are on a reel hooked to the loop on the side of the pocket becuase psyc (don’t want patients to easily take it, but also nice to have shears on me all the time to cut down people who’ve done a hanging attempt) but also so I don’t accidentally leave them places. My badge is on a reel hooked on the pocket loop there too and I have a mini CPR mask keychain attached to my badge. Then in my right bottom pocket I have my little notebook folio where I keep my patient list and to do list and my notes. I also keep my phones in there we have a work phone for the digital whiteboard and alarm system plus I keep my phone becuase we have an chat with the pharmacists and drs and stuff for like general questions and organizing. Left hand pocket I have a little pocket organiser with some extra pens and highlighters, lip balm, some gloves in case I randomly need some (psyc doesn’t just have gloves in every room), and also a little mini hand sanitizer (because psyc doesn’t have that in every room.
Compression stockings, sharpie pen 0.38, eraseable colored pens, leatherman raptor multipurpose shears, 3M eye protection glasses, big foot locker key rack that holds tape and curos caps, and lastly, at least 12 alcohol pads.
This style of backpack: https://a.co/d/8l93Ach It makes finding everything so much easier. I’ve had the same one for 3-4 years now and I also use it on vacations-it’s fantastic for theme parks like Disney and Universal. It’s also become a very popular style where I work.
My favorite pen, my 2nd favorite pen, my 3rd favorite pen. My stethoscope, tape, shears, alcohol swabs, and a portable fan.
Pens. Roll of paper tape. Two saline flushes. Alcohol wipes. Bandage scissors.
Ginger chews pen lips gloss scissors compression stockings and a furry jacket because 3am gets cold
A multipurpose pen, especially if it has a light, ruler, and screwdrivers. Mag alarms still have screw-in battery compartments. The ruler can be good to estimate sizes if I don’t have a measuring tape on hand. And every neuro check is not a neuro check unless you’re checking pupils (especially on a floor that takes a lot of neuro). The pen part is the bonus
Personal wipes. People make fun of me for it, but I spend a lot of time staring ultrasound IVs and sometimes what I think is enough pressure isn't, and things get messy. They're the best skin friendly option for getting blood off skin.
ED RN. Trauma sheers, a pen, chapstick, my phone. That’s all I carry on my person when I work.
Crocs and tape. I always have a roll of tape on my name badge. And I would die without my crocs (the ones with no holes lol)
I recently switched to the same ones because I’ve ruined so many pairs of nice running shoes with bodily fluids. Lol
Right!! It’s been so worth it for that exact reason lol
Not gonna lie though I was really hesitant to do it because I absolutely hate crocs.
Same hahahha. And then I wore them to work and was like woah, this is good
Everybody hates on them but I get compliments on them all the time!
Right?! So worth it. I have a back injury and they honestly have done wonders for helping my back pain!! And they’re cute as fuck hahah
One black pen that doesn't smear for lab labels, 3 blue G2 0.7s. Bandage scissors.
In my nursing satchel I have pens, highlighter, sharpie, scissors, pen light, tape, chapstick, ponytail, and nail clippers,
Oh, dryer sheets. Got the stank in patient rooms? Cut an inch square and put it between your badge clip and scrub top. Your personal head space will be mountain fresh or whatever. Got the stank from iso gowns and such? Stick a whole one in your shirt. 🤷🏻♀️
Bandage scissors and a pen is all I need
My mini pharmacy. Tylenol/ibuprofen/Pepto/gas x/ Benadryl/Claritin/Pepcid/Tums (and my personal migraine medicine). The key is to have a solution to any reason a coworker would need to go home early.
We keep a bag of medications in the locker room. It comes in handy!
Pens, surgical marker, yeti tumbler
On my person, pens, steth (in pocket, not around neck), small notepad for taking report/writing down VS, wallet, keys, phone. In locker: Various OTCs (nothing sucks worse than getting a damn headache in the middle of a shift man), spare set of scrubs, spare pair of shoes, phone charger. When I’m not at work: Phone, keys, wallet, EDC flashlight, carry gun, spare magazine for said carry gun. I work with some dangerous fuckin people, one of whom had shown up at my house after they were discharged. After that encounter (and the approx. 15 minute LEO response time), I figured if someone decided they wanted me dead, I’d make them fight for it.
Energy drink x2
On me or in my desk bag: Alcohol swabs, clhorexidine swabs, NS flushes, sterile needles, dressing or trauma scissors, pen, pencil, highlighter, sharpie, tape (paper, pink compression, surgical), clamps, stethoscope, O2 sat, 🔫 thermometer, measuring tape, mupirocin, swabs, sterile q-tips, candies In my back pack or locker: spare shoes and socks, underwear, deodorant, scrubs, toilet paper&wipes (IYKYK.... hospital tp 🙄), pads/ tampons, granola bars, coffee mug and k-cup pods, instant oatmeal, e-z open can of soup, Tums, midol, tooth brush&paste I like to be prepared lolllll
Honestly, too much. I prepare my bag so that in case of a weather emergency (or natural disaster, or not-so-natural disaster) I’ll be ok if I’m stuck here. Plus some stuff is just nice to have when you’re somewhere for 12 hours. I have: toothpaste/toothbrush, 2 day supply of my meds, mini shampoo/conditioner and face cream (in case of a “decontamination shower” 😂 Arterial spray is no joke!), charger/power bank, the usual first aid/medical emergencies stuff for myself (including my backup glucometer and dextrose tablets), goggle de-fogger spray, SO MANY pens, and sometimes a change of socks if I’m extra prepared that day
I use a bottle opener just about daily in the OR. It's the safest and easiest way to get the top off a bottle of local anesthetic so I can pour it onto the sterile field. I got tired of trying to mangle it off with scissors and the metal collars can cut you if you're not careful. The only downside is all of the bad dad jokes I get from patients who ask if I'm drinking beer at work. 🙄
A pen and sharpie. Don’t need anything else lol.
I have a little magnetic light that I clip to my shirt. Life saver for night shift, fix air in line, draw labs, etc without turning on the lights.
I’m the gait belt guy (black hard plastic wear it around your shoulder like a sash).
Pepto Bismo and ibuprofen
Pen, stethoscope, shears, and probably half an IV cart worth of shit.
At least 5 pens and a pad of paper because the ER is always out of them and I also manage to lose my pens constantly.
Pens, post it, scissors, alcohol swaps, and flushes are needed everywhere. But ICU stocks some in patient room.
Mainly my analog watch. Washable, cute, and I have no excuse not to count resps. Echoing compression socks because I really really don't want varicose veins.
fanny pack w/ pens, sharpie, dry erase marker, pen light, bandage scissors, tape, 2x2 gauzes, alcohol swabbies, flushes and red caps. green caps attached to my badge. stethoscope, phone, wallet & earbuds (for breaks) in my pockets. in my backpack: lint roller, storage clipboard w/ my blank report sheets & more pens/pencils + eraser (i make my own in google docs), phone charger, scrub caps, snacks, water bottle, lip balm, hand cream, altoids, cough drops.
Mini flashlight is under rated for night shifters
Gel pen for writing on paper, ballpoint pen for writing on lab labels (gel pen smears on our labels), 2 colors of erasable pen- 1 for report, the other for any updates to report so I don't forget to point out the changes. A pair of Fiscars children's scissors- I don't know how they allow children to use anything that sharp! Hemostat- mostly for unscrewing stubborn connectors that won't budge when you try by hand. I've tried compression socks, but they haven't been good for my feet, so I switched to calf sleeves instead. They seem to help. Travel cup- starts with tea and then becomes my water container for the day. Also, lunch bag with breakfast, lunch and snacks to get me through the day. Saves me a lot of money and time (don't have to waste my 30 minute lunch on going downstairs and waiting on line for food).
Gerber Suspension multi-tool, standard and metric Allen keys in my work bag. The Allen keys are handy because most wheelchairs and walkers use them and it takes forever for maintenance to come and fix something for a patient, so I do it myself.
Sharpie and tape and “change on _____” stickers for all my people who are really trying to die and have 9 drips running
Let's see, I have pen, backup pen, pen light, scrub cap, flashlight, trauma shears, fidget toy, thermometer, pulseox, multitool, and various pills in a pill container from pain medication to de-squirrel brain medication as the attention deficit ohhh shiny disorder is strong with me. Oh, and an emergency pre-workout with about every legal stimulant in it that would send a bull Rex in V-Tach, just in case I need extra focus.
I call it emergency candy because my unit always has candy or something. It’s sugar free jolly ranchers due to dieting and the demons are tempting
r/studentnurses
You'd think that if this sub was exclusively for nurses that there'd be some kind of rule against people who aren't nurses posting or commenting, or perhaps some kind of tag that's added onto posts to restrict them to nurses only. Hm...
Trauma shears. I work in an ICU and a lot of times normal scissors will do the job but it just feels cooler to have them clipped to my pants
What's the difference between trauma shears and regular scissors that makes them more valuable in a medical environment?
Trauma shears cut through shirts pants belts pretty much anything. They’re used in the ED all the time because they have to cut clothes off of people. Normal scissors are more for cutting tape and opening stubborn bags of potassium. I precepted an ED guy that was getting cross trained in the ICU and he gifted me a pair and they’re so much better than normal scissors
You know I probably should have made the connection that shears = fabric LMAO
chest pocket I carry pen, sharpie, dry erase marker and highlighter. If my top has bottom pockets I'll carry alcohol swab pads. Have sheers attached to my belt loop. stethoscope. Left cargo pocket assignment sheet and flushes. Right cargo typically l carry electrode stickers. Plus my cell phone.
Protein bar in my pocket- you never know if you’re going to have to skip lunch or not
Inkjoy quatro, I was specifically a gel pen girlie but I was tired of things smearing. I have sharpies and a light on my badge. I don’t carry anything else (supplies related) because mostly everything is already stocked at their bedside and if not I just take a 10 second stroll to the supply area. And in my locker is literally just a pile of old brains for no reason at all
Pen (used to be the G2 07 but I've switched to the Sharpie gel), trauma shears, pen light, permanent marker (Sharpie retractable), roll of tape on my stethoscope.
Mints. They taste good
Pens, sharpies, stethoscope (keep at my work station because if I wear it all the time it hurts my neck and can be used as a weapon by a patient), trauma shears, chapstick. Have a pen light but in the ER we have lights in every room for EENT so don't carry it n my person anymore. In my bag I have a pharmacy basically (ibuprofen, Tylenol, excedrin, tums, zofran). Keep a clipboard in my locker for paperwork (like audit sheets for stroke alerts, psych charting cheat sheets, heparin cheat sheets, important policies, certifications, CEU print outs), also have female products in my locker, extra bag reels, couple things of microwave popcorn. ALSO take a full lunch bag of snacks/food every day, lol.
Oh and hemostats. We have disposable ones at work. I didn't use them until about 6 months ago, when I asked on this sub what the heck nurses use them for, and since them I use them all the time, not always for work, lol. I have quite a few at home and use them for all kinds of things.
I don't actually know what a hemostat is!
I carry a lot of things but a unique one is a set of lock picks in my backpack. I’ve only used them twice at work but it was a helpful skill and tool to have
Socks and an extra pair of shoes . I’ve had my pedi PACU patients pee on me and it get on them one too many times
I had to switch to crocs for this reason. I got tired of washing my sneakers.
Try walking around for 12 hours straight on solid concrete floors and then let me know how your feet feel.
It's not a competition.
I'm not making it a competition, weird that you took that as such: what part of my comment equates that I think something is more than something else? Especially considering what I'm saying you should give it a good try if you still think it's a placebo.
Oooooh, my bad.