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Nurse Essentials: What Working Nurses Actually Need
There are a lot of different supplies out there for nurses but some items are luxuries while others are true necessities. The following are the nursing essentials that you will be glad you have during your long 12 hour shifts!
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Uniform (scrubs, compression socks, and comfortable shoes)
Scrubs
One of the awesome parts about being a nurse is that our uniforms are super comfortable. Gone are the days of crunchy oversized scrubs. There are so many options for stylish and comfortable scrubs.
It is important that the scrubs you wear fit your body well. Do not buy scrub pants that drag the floor or that make you look sloppy and unprofessional. Buy the size and style that you look and feel your best in.
My personal favorite are the Cherokee Infinity scrubs. These scrubs are stylish and comfortable; I always get so many compliments when I wear these.
Cherokee Scrub Bottoms with Drawstrings:
These scrubs are just the right balance between stretchy and fitted. They were a major upgrade from the crunchy scrubs I had to wear as a nursing student. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from, so if you are lucky enough to be able to wear a color other than blue, you should be able to find a shade that you like!
There are also other companies like Jaanuu that offer unique styles to fit your needs and wants. They have styles that have some pretty unique detailing that will set you apart and allow you to express your individual style.
Compression stockings
Compression stockings are a must! Even if you are young and think you don’t need them, get them!
Compression stockings help decrease swelling and fatigue in your legs and feet.
I have not experimented with a lot of different brands and I cannot figure out the brand of the stockings I use. There are lots of different brands out there to check out though!
You can check out this post by FreshRN that lists the best compression socks for nurses if you are interested in browsing some of the different options.
Comfortable Shoes
A good pair of shoes is also critical in preventing tired feet. We don’t have time for uncomfortable shoes when we are running around the hospital for 12 hours a day (or night).
I wore Danskos for over a year and really enjoyed them. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea as far as style preference… I had a patient once say this to me while I was wearing a pair of Danskos “Do they really pay you so little that you cut off the top of your rain boots and wore them to work?” ….but they are comfortable!
I now wear Nike tennis shoes and I hardly ever have tired feet at the end of my shifts.
Stethoscope
While you are in nursing school you may have been reluctant to invest in an expensive stethoscope. However, if you can save up money and afford it, I would definitely recommend investing in a high quality stethoscope.
As a nurse you will be assessing patients all the time so getting a great stethoscope can make your job easier.
I have been using the Littmann Cardiology III for the past 4 years and love it. Littmann now has the upgraded version of this stethoscope-the Cardiology IV.
The awesome thing about stethoscopes is that you don’t have to replace them often. $150+ for a stethoscope seems steep, but it is an investment that will last years.
As I mentioned, I have been using my Littman stethoscope for the past 4 years and do not feel the need to buy a new stethoscope for years to come.
Reusable water bottle and/or mug
As a nurse you know how important it is to stay hydrated. As a human on this beautiful planet earth you also know how important it is to eliminate one use plastic items (e.g. plastic water bottles).
Get yourself a reusable water bottle to ensure you stay hydrated while at work. You can fill it up as many times as you need throughout your shift.
If you are a coffee or tea drinker I would also suggest a reusable mug. You can bring your own coffee in this mug or fill it up with coffee when you get to work.
This may prevent you from sneaking down to the hospital cafe and spending $5+ on a latte several shifts out of the week. Save your money while also saving the environment!
If you want to support a nursing business, you can check out the awesome tumblers over at Nurses Inspire Nurses. This is the Healing Hands 20 oz tumbler I ordered from them. Isn’t it beautiful?
They keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. Perfect for 12 hour shifts.
Lunchbox (to fill up with snacks)
As a nurse you need all the snacks. There’s something about being mentally and physically stressed throughout the day that causes us nurses to get the munchies.
Avoid the vending machine and hospital cafeteria by filling up your lunchbox with healthy snacks and a healthy meal. Your wallet (and waistline) will thank you.
Bag/Backpack
You will be bringing a plethora of nursing supplies with you and you need a place to put it all.
There are a lot of different styles of nursing bags out there so find the style that works best for you. My one piece advice if you are going to carry your supplies in a bag is to make sure the bag has a zipper. This will prevent items from falling out or mysteriously going missing.
I haven’t tried out many different bags, but you can check out this list that Jon Haws put together for the best 7 nursing bags for nurses.
Journal, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, etc.
A great way to stay organized is to have all the organizational supplies that you like to use.
Bring your own pens, highlighters, sticky notes, etc. so that you don’t have to scramble to find those items when you need them. You can keep them at your work station so they are easy to access.
I can remember way too many times trying to scramble around at the nurse’s station for a highlighter or sticky pad. It is much more time efficient to bring your own supplies and keep them organized at your work station.
Report sheet/“brain”
An absolute staple item is a report sheet or “brain” as they are often called.
Everybody has their own method of organizing patient information and it may take some trial and error to find the best method for you personal preferences.
When I was in nursing school I actually used one the report sheets that Nurse Nacole has available on her website. There are a lot of free downloadable report sheets to choose from out there so just look around for one that works for you.
It’s important to organize patient information to ensure good work flow during your shift. Continue to update the information throughout your shift so you can give a cohesive report to the oncoming shift, as well.
I hope that this list of nursing essentials was helpful to you!
Happy Nursing!