Pens
A pen is not just a pen—not to nurses! The next time you’re shopping at an office supply store, don’t get seduced by those fancy expensive pens that run out of ink in three weeks. The expert scout knows the perfect pen has these five nurse-friendly features:
- Writes nicely at an angle
- Doesn’t smear
- Doesn’t leak
- Has a cushioned grip or is a “fat” pen
- Comes in multiple colors including black, blue, red and green
Top it off with a good highlighter and you’re ready to hit those charts!
Next, shoes (the right ones to get you through the day)
For more Life Solutions pick up the latest issue of Scrubs magazine, available at a retail store near you!
Scrubs faux pas! Please please please mention the low rider scrub pants so many like to wear! When they bend over the rest of us see wayyy more then we want to!
I would love a permanent gadget or review section of Scrubs.
aka gadgetGIRL
So so true!
Awesome!!! never thought of that!
Smear toothpaste inside of a mask! Lifesaver for the nostrils!
a tea bag inside your mask for smelly tasks. And I totally agree with the comment about low-rise scrubs… and thongs don’t really look professional!
You left out one important bit — when you find the perfect shoe, get more than one pair!
I agree with Diane, and for me it’s the Sketcher’s Shape ups!
If you’re looking to try something innovative and new – check out the Timberland PRO Renova series! These shoes are designed to deliver all-day comfort and support to healthcare professionals!
http://www.facebook.com/TimberlandRenova
http://twitter.com/Tbl_Renova
I love pants with pockets. SCRUBS have 7. They are my favorite.
littman steth, alegria “donna’s”, greys anatomy scrubs, dr grip pens, ultra brite yello hi-lighter, black sharpie, stainless small bandage scissors, support socks, lip gloss, and hair band>>>>thats me!
LPN
Licensed Practical Nurse
4 Pens (blue, black, red and purple – like pens!), highlighter, pen light torch, scissors, artery forceps, tube forceps (great for clamping IV’s in a hurry), Littmans Cardiology classic scope, alco-wipes small pulse ox finger probe, hand over sheet and scrap paper/pad, lip gloss and a few minties for when the BSL runs low and dinner is way too far away.
i bought a very cute scrub top for 30 dol—got it out to work in the next day and the sucker had 1 pocket!!!! Gah what a waste. 30 dol down the tubes. Nurses cant work with 1 pocked-youd do better driving a bus with your ears!! Got to at LEAST have 2–at the VERY least!
Put some gauze soaked in the mouthwash found in “New Patient” bags and place it over the vent in a colostomy bag and no more smell!
I love the shape up’s, dickies scrub pants are amazing…especially if you’re tall.
we need a tool bag that is some how easy to carry and one you cannot forget in each room, my pockets are so full they pull my shirt down, I need to come up with a cute basket or tool belt for all of our stuff
I am the proud owner of a littman computerized steth. My problem is that it is so heavy with the battery and electronics and short too, but its great for hard of hearing folks like me. Any one have any ideas on how to carry it? The holsters at the store are too small.
I use a cute fanny pack to hold my extra “stuff”, including tape, scissors, hemostats, alcohol wipes, etc, etc. Everything is handy, clean and covered and convenient.
Smells all around? Nobody likes the smell of C-diff…so take a nebulizer put mouthwash in it and let it freshen the room up… We have mouthwash without alcohol in it that works best!
The roll of tape on your Scope is also a great place for bacteria to linger and then transfer to another patient. This practice is frowned upon by most hospitals infection control departments…….sorry.
Thank you everyone!! These are all wonderful tips…especially for the student nurse!!
The Littman Cardiology III is an excellent choice for students, especially if you want to be an RN. Pet peeve, pants dragging the ground, spreading infection and bacteria all over the place.The unprofessional look is unacceptable.
I swear by my Dansko Professionals – they are a leg saver (paired with Support knee highs) and who’s kidding who – you really don’t need an electronic steth $$$ and leave the diagnosing to the docs – thats why they make the $$$- the Littman Master Classic II is wonderful…and only like $80. I promise you’ll still hear the crackles and gallops!
Another thing that works well is Vicks. A smear in the mask or under your nose and that’s all you smell. Works great for those of us in long term care.
I use a craft tote from JoAnn Fabrics to carry all my gear in. There are lots of compartments and it is washable! Plus, it makes for a clean workplace!
Every nurse has to wear an ID badge. I just love BooJee Beads ID holders! I mean, if you have to wear an ID, you might as well make it look good. I have purchased their beautiful beaded designs, as well as the ribbons with fabulous art work. They are a must have and all for under $18, what a deal! The website is http://www.boojeebeads.com
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I would exercise caution using Anything that wraps around your neck. I have been nearly strangled by patients due to this.
The Littman may *look* good but it is antique technology. Once you’ve used an electronic stethoscope with a volume control (gasp!) you’ll never go back. I got a Thinklabs for under $200 (no, I’m not a corporate shill, just a happy customer). Having trouble hearing through all that flesh on your obese patient? Turn up the volume! Seems like a no-brainer to me! Or is that, no-ear-strainer?
Sanita ( the “old” dansko= still handcrafted) Professionals ALL the way!! A must have for those 12hr shifts, a real leg & back saver!
Haven’t been able to work in over 20 years due to work injury (obese pt). Do not put yourself at risk…if the Supervisor does not send enough help….do not injure yourself…call again and if that doesn’t help….Call a code…..I live in constand severe pain, lost 10 years worth of benefits etc, all my retirement, all my insurance, took back the matching savings and all the interest my money earned in their savings ….. they now have 401K’s but not then. I only wish you all the best. But if you are injured you can’t help anyone!
we deal with c-diff on our unit all the time and a neat little trick is to open up a bag of coffee, pour the unperked grounds in a coffee filter and set it in the room……works great!!
I’ve been looking for something to carry all the info needed as a Pediatric,Neonatal ICU resource nurse without all the bulk. Thank god for IPod.
Regarding draw string scrub pants, just be careful with those confused older ladies…….I almost got “pantsed” by one on a night shift! There were 4 of us trying to restrain her to put in an IV and I had one arm/hand and she grabbed my draw string!!!
RN
Registered Nurse
Love Greyson anatomy scrubs, soft wash up great and look professional, tons of pockets. Must haves…great scissors, from china now originally from Germany . Hemostats. Alcohol in pockets, never have an excuse to not scrub the hub. Use same alcohol wipes to clean stetoscope between patients.i need Chapstick, so when it on sale at the store 10 for $10 I grab a coupon and buy it for my patients…they are grateful, bring old magazines from home ,remove your name and leave them in the waiting room.sugar free mints, yes I share with coworkers. 3 pens , usually I give one away. At the dollar store I buy the round squishy pillows for pts with chest tubes ,long piece of paper tape and that can splint the site, which hurts like hell, a calculator, a strong penlight, which helps find the insertion site for female foleys and check pupils and injury around the eyes. Most important …axe spray for men after baths, shower to shower for everybody, hit the dollar store for bath wash ,I save the condition from the hair dye and use that to untangle matted hair. Make them look beautiful, it shows you care and please clean up the room!
I always have my Kelly Forceps attached to me…a million uses…very handy!
RN
Registered Nurse
Timely article. I’m working on a 20-30 min talk, for some Nursing 1101 students, about to go to their very first clinical experience! My talk will be ‘tools for success’; stuff they need to have on them, to avoid wasting time during those clinical hours. This will be very basic; things like a pen and a spare, paper to write on, up to stethoscopes and kelly’s. I need to find EBP articles to go with. Suggestions?
Student
Nursing Student (you can change this when you graduate!)
I swear by laced-up Rockport shoes to relieve foot pain for those long hour days. Laced-up shoes offer the best pain free arch support and provide the arch stabilization. I wear a t-shirt with a pocket, and sew pockets on the inside of my lab coat in back of existing exterior pockets to hide the seams.
Stethoscopes are also good for communicating with HOH pts put them on your pt and talk into the bell, just make sure you have alcohol wipes for before and after
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This is a great listing and I agree with everything on the list….except the ‘nose savers’. I think I have been nursing too long as the smells don’t bother me anymore ;o)
want nice nursing sjoes