Nursing Supplies

Nursing Supplies

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  1. Being a nurse can be hard enough, but having everything you need can be just as hard and frustrating. What are the necessary equipment and medical supplies that nurses need to carry around and to wear?

    Nursing uniforms: Scrubs

    In order to work in most hospitals, you have to wear scrubs. This is standard practice to tell nurses apart from doctors, and the scrub tops come with deep pockets to keep supplies in. If your doctor’s office or hospital doesn’t have a policy on what color or design to wear, you can find almost any kind of scrub, from holiday themed to cartoon characters covering, which is great for working in pediatrics. You can find scrubs in most super center retail stores, but you can also find them in hospital gift shops and order them from online nursing supply stores, such as Hopkins.

    Nursing shoes: Crocs

    Along with scrubs, typical shoes to wear in a hospital are crocs. They are slip resistant, which can help when floors have been mopped and bodily fluids –from vomit to blood – are on the floor. You can also find them in any color, and are very comfortable as well as uniform-looking. Ask your employer where to find the specified crocs you need for your job, he or she will be able to tell you where to obtain them if they are not already supplied to you.

    Nursing Supplies: Stethoscopes

    Stethoscopes are by far the most common instrument used by nurses. If you are in nursing school, your general bookstore should carry the nursing supplies you need to keep you updated on your clinicals. If you work in a doctor’s office or hospital, you can order them from your business office or gift shop.  Stethoscopes are used on patients of all ages to hear their heartbeat and breathing patterns, as well as listening to other internal organs. They come in different colors to fit your specified job placement.

    More Nursing Accessories

    Watch

    Watches are a convenient item to use when checking heart rate on babies and the elderly. If you keep a watch on you at all times, you have no need to worry whether or not each patient room has a clock. Check with your hospital or doctor’s office to find out if they have a policy on which watches to use. If they do, they will supply you with the watches they want you to use, or give you information on where to find the watch you need. If there is no policy on watch-wearing, you can buy a watch at almost any store. A simple watch with no extra features will suffice, but make sure there is a second hand or second-display (for digital watches).

    Thermometer

    Hospitals and doctor’s offices usually come equipped with plenty of thermometers, but being able to keep one for yourself can be as convenient for your patient as it is for you, after all, patients can easily become irritated if their nurse or doctor is constantly in and out of their room to grab forgotten or misplaced supplies. Check with your hospital or doctor’s office to find out the proper and accepted thermometers to use.

    Blood Pressure Device

    A small, compact blood pressure device is a must-have for nurses in a hospital ward. Checking each patient’s blood pressure is a regular routine. Sometimes, the blood pressure devices in the hospital rooms aren’t ideally close enough to comfortably check a patient’s blood pressure. If this is true in your hospital, consider getting a blood pressure device. You can buy these from medical supply stores and possibly in your hospital’s gift shop.

    Scissors

    Scissors are an important part of a Nurse’s supply. Scissors help with bandaging and removing a bandage from a patient, as well as opening up other supplies that might be needed. Small and compact, you can generally keep these scissors in your scrub pockets and not being hindered from your general work.

    Pen and Paper

    A small pad or paper and a pen are essential to keep with you as a nurse at all times. This will help you keep notes about your patient if you’re needed in the room at short notice and are very busy. Jot down your notes and place them somewhere you won’t forget to record them later.

    There is not much difference in the medical supplies that doctors and nurses use. Doctor supplies are generally located in the patient rooms, in drawers and cabinets for easy access. Because each patient is different and doctors have a more specific area of treatment than nurses, carrying their medical supplies around is not as ideal as fast paced nurses find having their supplies readily available on their person.

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