NursingLink

1.  3+ ink pens.  By the time Nurse A, CNA B, and Doctor X come around, you have none left.

2.  2+ Sharpies, one of which has a loose cap.  Hence the black dots on  your pockets.

3.  A half-opened pack of mints.  Complete with pocket lint stuck to the top one. 

4.  One small koosh ball or stress stone.  I just got this one last week, and it's worn out already?

5.  Various coins.  Some foreign ones that you got back as change from your $1 bill from that stupid vending machine downstairs.

6.  One post-it note that is now stuck together and unreadeable due to Mr. Jones dumping his bathwater on you.

7.  One 4 year old cell phone.  I need a new one, but can't really afford it!

8.  Car/house keys, practically glued to you.  You only need to have a patient pick up your keys and hide them once to never let them out of your sight again!  PS, patients usually like to hide things in their briefs.

9.  Visine.  Those computer screens wreak havoc on your eyeballs.

10.  Lip gloss/balm.  Notoriously dry hospital/nursing home air will make you want to rip your lips off after a few hours.

11.  A small tin of your personal goodies.  Aleve, migraine tablets, allergy pill. etc.  'Mrs. Kumwai did what with her foley?'

12.  Bandage scissors that others love to borrow.  You're on your 7th pair for the year.

13.  Gloves, gloves, and more gloves.  You end up with nearly an entire box in one pocket at the end of the shift. 

14.  A calculator.  Because your ancient cell phone didn't come with one on it.

15.  A pocket PDR.  That's 3 years old.

16.  72 alcohol pads.  To go with that box of gloves in your pocket.

17.  A small tube of (clean) vaseline.  I've lost my lip balm!  (CNA)  'Nurse!  Mr. Kalfa is eating cherry lip balm!'

18.  3 mystery pills you found lying in the hallway.

19.  2 bolts/screws.  These came out of some piece of equipment, darnit!

20.  One invisible, bottomless well of patience, compassion, and love!

Condom??????  Condom catheter???????? 

Oh, I don't even want to know LOL

ALSO MOST DEFINITELY ANTIBACTERIAL GEL HAND SANITIZER AND MOIST TOWELETTES FOR MISHAPS ON YOUR SCRUBS AND SHOES.

       A pen, some wipes, light, my little black book, and some dressing tape.

Cheers - Tim, R.N.

Where I work they have us wear aprons, that waiters use.  So lets add that up.  2-3 with the jacket, 2 with the shirt, 3-5 with the pants, and 3 with the apron.  So that equalls 10-13.  Even with all of them, still don't have enough for everything that we carry.  I carry everything I need for the day in the upper pockets, then a back up in the lower pockets, and never seems to fail, always forget/lost something along the way.

 

im always finding stool softeners and laxatives..."oh Mr. so and so you've been crapping all night, oh and its watery too"..wont be giving those now..<puts docusate in pocket>