Hey nurses! We know that nursing is 90% skill and 10% caffeine, but it’s important to always be prepared for your next shift. What you carry as a nurse to your shift can make your shift either epic or a total disaster, so in this blog, we will discuss must-have nurse essentials that every nurse needs for their shift.
Nurse Essentials
- Stethoscope
- Nursing scissors
- Penlight
- Cheat sheets
- Watch
- Notebook and pen
- Compression socks and comfortable shoes
- Water bottle and snacks
Stethoscope
Imagine walking into the room ready to assess the patient, and you realize you didn’t bring your stethoscope. So, the next thing you do is ask your colleague to lend theirs, and when you finally have it, you realize that it’s not the right fit. The stethoscope is one of the most important tools that a nurse should carry around as it is used all the time for assessing patient vital signs, lungs, and heartbeat. Nurses need to use high-quality stethoscopes. To learn more about top stethoscopes, read our blog, “10 Best Stethoscopes for Nurses: Stethoscope Reviews for Nurses”.
Nursing scissors
The other must-have item for nurses is good quality medical scissors. Nurses use scissors all the time for cutting bandages, fabric, tape, etc. Good, durable scissors are necessary with a protective top so you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
Penlight
Another thing that nurses need is a penlight. It is a small, lightweight flashlight that is carried by nurses and is used during physical exams such as checking pupils, throats, etc. It looks like a pen and is a convenient and portable light source for the nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Cheat sheets
Let’s be real! Nurses are humans working hard day and night providing care for the patients and can forget things. Cheat sheets here come in handy. These cheat sheets are reference guides that provide important information to the nurses and healthcare professionals, including drug dosages, conversion tables, symptoms checklist, etc.
Watch
We all know that nurses have various tasks and responsibilities that require time management. And to keep track of time, the other essential item for nurses is a watch. Watch not only helps nurses keep track of time but also have other purposes such as counting heartbeats etc. It is important that the nurses’ watch is waterproof because nurses wash their hands several times during their shift.
Notebook and pen
Other things that nurses need all the time with themselves is a notebook and a pen. The portable notebook and pen help the nurses to write important notes and information right away. Later, nurses can use these notes to recall information. Not only that, if nurses learn some new information, they can write that down, too, for themselves and take guidance from it in the future. I mean, who knows if a small piece of information can save someone’s life.
Compression socks and comfortable shoes
Nurses work 8 to 12 hours shifts and even more. They are on their toes all the time, running around providing care for the patients. It is important that nurses wear compression socks and comfortable shoes during long hours of shifts. Compression socks and comfortable shoes are another must-have essential for nurses that they need during their long-hour shifts. As I say, give nurses comfortable shoes, and they will conquer the healthcare world!
Water bottle and snacks
Nobody can think clearly when they are hungry! It is necessary for the nurses to keep some snacks with them all the time. Nurses work long shifts and deal with emergencies. During their hectic shifts, they sometimes miss their meal. Here, snacks become handy to keep them full until their next meal. Hydration is another important thing for nurses. Therefore, nurses should have a water bottle and healthy snacks with them at all times.
Conclusion
Nurses are superheroes of the healthcare world, saving lives and providing care for patients, but nurses have to be prepared before they enter the hospital. This preparation helps them get through their shift. Nurses must have these nurse essentials to make their shift epic. The list of essential items includes a stethoscope, penlight, watch, cheat sheets, nursing scissors, notebook, pen, etc. If you are a nurse or a travel nurse ready for your next shift/assignment, then here is the checklist of the must-have items that nurses need. read our blog, “Travel Nurse Packing Checklist (Guide for Travel Nurses).”
