Are you a new nurse or a nursing student who intends to make the most of your professional field? Then the only support you have in this context is your tools.
Just like any profession, even nursing tools have their own unique functionalities, which are needed in order to let you accomplish all your goals. While some nursing tools can be quite simple, there are others that need in-depth research before you start using them.
Since, it is only the nurse which patients trusts, after or most of the times equal to a doctor, so it is important that you do have all essential items in your bag and that too of high-grade quality. Having all such nursing tools intact will ensure that you are able to meet all kinds of emergencies as well as offer patients with the best of care and services.
So, here glance at the best nursing tools, which are a must for every nurse, be it new or experienced!
1. Nursing Lab Coat
The first very important nursing tool for every nurse is a lab coat. A white lab coat is a must to wear to all clinical and professional meetings, which you had to attend. Most importantly, a nursing lab coat comes with a decent pocket space, which can be used to keep your pens, scissors, pads, and other items handy.
Make sure you select a high-quality lab coat so that it only enhances your personality and makes you feel confident always while you are at work.
2. Stethoscope
One of the most important tools for a nursing professional is a stethoscope. Without a stethoscope, it is not possible for nurses to assess the patient’s cardiac, intestinal, and respiratory state. With a stethoscope, you can easily listen to auscultation or body’s sounds of your patient during a physical evaluation and examination.
Out there are varieties of stethoscopes available in the market. Make sure you purchase a stethoscope of high-grade quality and one that is comfortable to your ears, easy to use, offers smooth sound transmission, and holds resistance to damage and body oils. Finding the best stethoscope is quite difficult so do visit the link which lists the 10 best stethoscopes for nurses. Reading that post will help you know the pros and cons of each stethoscope and will help you make a well-informed decision.
3. Medical Tapes and Bandage Scissors
A role of the nurse is highly involved in taking care of the patients. From dressing to bandages, a nurse is the one who monitors the overall health condition of the patient, both before and after treatment.
Bandage scissors are used for dressings, cutting medical gauze, bandages, and performing other essential tasks. Medical tapes are also commonly suggested to reduce post-surgical scar formation. Also, these tapes act as a kind of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape used in the first aid and medicine to hold a dressing or bandage onto the wound.
4. Thermometer
While monitoring the patient’s health, one core aspect that is administered on a regular basis is the temperature of the patient’s body. It is mandatory to measure and record body temperature regularly with consistency, accuracy, and diligence.
Hence, nurses and new nursing students must always have a thermometer as it serves as a valuable indicator of any change in the clinical condition of a patient.
5. Apparatus to Monitor Blood Pressure
A blood pressure apparatus, also known as sphygmomanometer is an instrument used to measure the blood pressure of a patient. The instrument is commonly known as a blood pressure gauge, pulse screen monitor, and blood pressure meter. This device comprises an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff in a regulated manner. It also comprises a mechanical manometer or mercury to measure the body’s pressure.
This device is always used in conjunction with an aim to determine at what pressure the blood flows.
6. Tourniquet
This is a compressing or constricting device, which is used to control the venous and arterial blood flow to a segment of a limit for a certain period of time. This device is used mainly while performing a blood test. When the blood flow is controlled then a blood sample is collected, which is then used for further diagnosis process of an ailment or disease.
7. Tongue Depressor
If a patient is met with a throat or tongue infection then for this a tongue depressor is used. A tongue depressor is an instrument, which is utilized in medical practice to depress the tongue and carry examination of the throat and mouth.
It is best to go for a tongue depressor, which is thin, flat, smoothed, have only wooden blades, and rounded at both the ends. Make sure your tongue depressor is free from plastic blades. Hence, being a nurse, it is essential to have a tongue depressor in your nursing bag.
8. A Watch with a Second Hand
Every second for a patient’s health matters. It is possible to monitor the health of the patient with a watch having a second hand. The care of the patient relies heavily on timing medications and checking essentials, both of which need tallying of seconds.
So, when you are buying a watch, make sure it does have a second hand.
9. Retractable Pens
If you are or want to become a caring nurse who gives equally care to her pens then having a retractable pen is a must. Most of the nurses think that retractable pens are an essential tool for them. Such pens are preferred as they conveniently clip onto the scrubs and there is no cap for which you have to worry about.
10. Nursing Clipboard
Though most of the clinics and hospitals have clipboards available for use, they are quite a basic one. These clipboards do not allow nurses to access and recall information quickly.
Make sure you use a better nursing clipboard that enables you to carry the patient files with ease. Also, you can access tools as well as information, which you might need. A high-quality nursing clipboard comes with excellent features that include assessment charts, a calculator, a timer, and an alarm clock.
11. CheatSheet
This is a new tool for every nursing expert. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember the minute information that you have learned in school. These cheat sheets are pocket-sized sheets, which offer you the ability to carry around color-coded and easy to read information like:
- Anatomy
- Heart rhythms
- Injection sites, and
- Lab draw orders
12. Hand Sanitizer
Now this one is really very important! It is of utmost importance for nurses to keep their hands clean at all times. This is essential to protect yourself as well as patients from experiencing any bacteria and germs. Being a nurse you must have an easily accessible hand sanitizer bottle in your nurse coat pocket.
Since your job involves frequent interaction with the patients so a hand sanitizer is an easy and effective way to stay away from germs.
13. Reflex Hammer
Sometimes, you have to perform neurological examinations as a part of your patient’s analyzes. You can perform such tests accurately, only if you have a reflex hammer in hand. Though your clinic or hospital might offer you a reflex hammer, being a small tool it can be conveniently replaced.
Hence, it is the best idea to add a reflex hammer to your kit so that you can use it whenever you require it.
14. Highlighter Syringe Pens
A syringe pen is another important tool for nurses. This tool is used to inject the fluid into or pull out the liquid from the body. Make sure you purchase a syringe pen designed especially for medical purposes. Such a pen consists of a needle linked to a hollow cylinder, which is further fitted to a sliding plunger.
15. A Small Notebook
The role of a nurse is just not to diagnose and monitor patients but also to follow instructions offered by doctors. In most of the cases, the doctors give instructions fast and it is essential that you note everything down before you forget it.
Having a small notebook in easy approach enables you to take notes fast when accepting guidelines from doctors or information from patients.
16. Comfortable Shoes
While one may not find shoes an important tool for the nurses, however, these are the most essential item that nurses will use every day.
Usually, nurses work 12 hours shift that involves lots of walking and standing. Hence, it is of utmost importance that nurses select a comfortable pair of shoes that are lightweight as well as breathable. They offer support to the nurses and can make a huge difference.
Using poor quality shoes can lead to serious foot and back pain when used for long time periods.
17. Protective Gear
Just like patients, even some protective gears are needed by nurses too. One such protective gear is disposable gloves that help prevent the transmission of communicable ailments between patients and between a nurse and a patient.
Similarly, disposable protective masks are used to serve the same purpose. These masks are made of transparent plastic and cover the entire face, thereby offering a shield from contaminated fluids and respiratory infections.
Depending on their role and duty, nurses may even have to wear disposable gowns, hair covers, and shoe covers.
18. Pen Light
With a penlight, nurses are able to check as well as gauge pupil dilation that can help them avail a better sense of conditions of their patients like they are conscious or not, or if a patient is suffering from any cognitive abnormality.
Using a penlight let nurses quickly assess various possibilities and offer them a better idea of what kind of ailment a patient might be suffering from. Based on their diagnosis, the nurses can ask further questions to the patients and identify the root cause of the problem.
19. Alcohol Wipes
While not necessary to keep, you might fall into the need to disinfect your stethoscope, otoscope, or any other medical device immediately. Disinfecting wipes let you to conveniently clean the hemostat, scissors, and sometimes phone.
This is important so that there is no spread of germs between the patient and you, as well as among patients.
20. Drug Reference Guide
Drug / medical reference guide or handbooks and pocket guides is another valuable tool for the nurses. A drug reference guide help nurses to stay aware of the uses and side-effects of almost every drug. This way, they can offer appropriate medicines to those with allergies or under treatment. Additionally, they can make better decisions and avoid making mistakes.
A good drug reference guide help nurses to follow adequate medical practices, understand the appropriate use of medications / drugs and know about their potential reactions. At the same time, it maintains quality healthcare guidelines and enhances patient care through best healthcare practices.
21. Pulse Oximeter
These digital devices are extremely useful to the nurses to check the patient’s pulse. It is also useful during the time of labor in order to measure the pulse of the mother and the child. Such a device is placed on the finger of the patient in order to determine the correct blood oxygen saturation levels as well as pulse rate readings.
This device is ultra-portable, which makes it easy to carry around. Nurses can use them during important medical readings of the patients as well as during emergencies.
22. Tablet, Smartphone or PDA
In the present modern scenario, nurses too are expected to be tech-savvy. They have to maintain vital medical data, keep track of numerous medical tasks and conveniently interact with other healthcare experts within the healthcare facility.
Tablets and smartphones are powerful tools that can help nurses to stock important details. At the same time, healthcare professionals can explain complex medical practices that they require patients to understand and make the process smooth and hassle-free.
Final Words
Keeping all the above-mentioned tools in one place is extremely vital so that they are easily approachable and you can always use them even under an emergency. Hence, it is important that in addition to these tools, you purchase a professional-grade quality nurse bag.
Also, note that among all these tools the most important tool for nurses is a stethoscope. It is the most vital and very first tool used by nurses to diagnose a patient’s clinical condition. Hence, always buy high-quality stethoscope.
Since buying a stethoscope can be a costly affair so it is best to first read the information and then make a purchase.
This post has been sponsored by Hemanth Kumar
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