6 Best Nursing Clipboards With Storage, Reference Tables, and Refillable Pads

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To the uninitiated, Nursing is all about taking care of patients, monitoring their condition, and dispensing prescribed medication. What most people don’t know is that the profession involves a lot of paperwork. A survey of hospital nurses revealed that approximately 1/4 of a 12-hour shift is spent on indirect patient care with most of it being paperwork like charting and filling up of forms.

Thus, today, let’s take a look at a charting nurse’s bestfriend – the clipboard.

Best Storage Clipboard: Think2Master


Storage clipboards are convenient when you are toting important supplies. Best for nursing students, you can fit in important papers, a phone, an iPad mini, or even a calculator inside. There’s also a special compartment for pens.

This particular brand boasts of its durability. The Think2Master clipboard is 25% heavier and sturdier than other clipboards. Normally, we prefer to buy lightweight supplies but unfortunately, these have a tendency to bend which you don’t want your clipboard to be doing when you’re writing on it.

Note: There is one design option that comes with a handle. This black clipboard has more storage space.

Pros

  • Storage design allows you to keep supplies inside like notebooks, tablets, phones, calculators, etc.
  • Can hold up to A4 paper
  • Thicker and more durable than other clipboards
  • Heavy duty clip can hold up to 50 sheets of paper (depending on thickness)
  • Multi-purpose; can also be used as an organizer at home
  • Comes in different colors

Cons

  • For some buyers, the plastic hinge broke when they dropped their clipboard. (As per feedback, customer support replaced their clipboards.)

Best Storage Clipboard with Pen Holder: Deli


The Deli clipboard is your storage clipboard with a host of bells and whistles. First off, we love the penholder. You don’t need to open the whole case in order to get to your pens and erasers. The pen compartment is separate so you can grab your writing implements much faster.

It also comes with 30 pages of refillable lined notepad, an ergonomic carrying handle, a groove for the pen for when you’re actively using it, and a back hole. The elastic clip can hold up to 100 sheets of paper (depending on thickness).

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Comes with a built-in pencil case
  • Can fit up to 100 A4 papers
  • Comes with free refillable lined notepad
  • Has a pen groove where you can rest your pen

Cons

  • Not durable; bends upon use

Best Metal Storage Clipboard: Amazon Basics


If you want a truly indestructible clipboard, then get a metal one. This popular storage clipboard by Amazon has 2 tiers of interior compartments so you can easily organize and segregate your documents. This beauty can hold up to 250 sheets of standard paper and is almost 3 inches thick.

It is made of aluminum so it is heavier than plastic clipboards but it’s definitely more durable and won’t break even if you drop it. One fun trivia is that one customer made a reflector oven out of this metal clipboard. Apparently, it works great for camping trips.

Pros

  • Made of metal so it is very durable
  • Has two compartments for better organization
  • Very useful for people who need a really sturdy storage clipboard like those in construction work, truck drivers, or just anybody who is prone to dropping clipboards and breaking them
  • Just a tad heavier than their plastic counterpart
  • Fits a small tablet

Cons

  • Harder to put into a backpack or a satchel than a regular clipboard

Best Storage Clipboard with Cheat Sheets: ClinicalGuru by TribeRN


If you’re a nursing student, then you still need those precious cheat sheets to get you through nursing school and clinicals. Amp up your school supplies with this ClinicalGuru storage clipboard with heavy duty cheat sheets. You not only get a special storage for your reports, you also have a very convenient way of keeping your reference tables within easy reach.

The cheat sheets are made from high gloss PVC material so they’re durable and water resistant. You can use your dry erase markers on them if you want to highlight important information. For each clipboard, you get a set of the following sheets for Vital Signs, ABG, Shock, Blood Product, Lab Values, and more.

You also get special access to Tribe RN’s online library where you can download PDF’s that you can use for your NCLEX review. It’s really not a bad deal considering all this comes from just a purchase of a clipboard.

Pros

  • Storage clipboard that comes with laminated cheat sheets; includes Vital Signs, ABG, Shock, Blood Product, Lab Values, and more
  • Cheat sheets information is topnotch and updated
  • PVC sheets are water resistant and can be used with dry erase markers
  • Clipboard is 1 inch deep
  • Storage space fit a tablet
  • Comes with access to Tribe RN’s online resources like review materials for NCLEX

Cons

  • A handful of buyers had experiences of the hinges on their clipboards breaking

Best Foldable Clipboard: WhiteCoat


If all the above clipboards are too big and bulky for you, you might want to look into foldable clipboards. Foldable clipboards fold in half thus making them easier to carry around. It’s not my personal preference but folded up, they can fit into the leg pocket of your scrubs.

They have a smaller storage area but you can fit up to 30 sheets of paper inside. The lightweight aluminum material keeps your documents and the accompanying cheat sheets secure.

Pros

  • Can fold in half so they can be carried around or stowed away more conveniently
  • Fits in your scrub’s pocket or a lab coat pocket
  • Made of lightweight aluminum
  • The way it folds doesn’t make a crease
  • Comes with a medical reference of the basic lab values at the back of the clipbard

Cons

  • A very few buyers got the wrong color item

Best Clipboard Folio with Refillable Notepad: Steel Mill & Co


If you’re into pretty things, then you’ll want to check out this clipboard by Steel & Mill. These come in a variety of pleasing designs from classy florals to dotted prints.

The front has the metal clip for letter size papers. When you slip off the elastic band, the folio opens up to an interior storage pocket on the left and the refillable lined pad on the right. This is a good choice for nurses who only want a clipboard and a writing pad for additional note-taking.

Pros

  • Basic folio with pretty designs
  • Comes with a refillable lined notepad
  • Interior storage pocket can store small papers
  • Low profile clip
  • Clipboard fits letter size papers
  • Elastic band keeps the folio closed
  • Notepad can be refilled with any standard legal pad

Cons

  • This is not a good option for those who want storage
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