Nurses have been trained to be resourceful. After all, we are expected to provide accurate emergency/first aid treatment even in the most dire of circumstances.
But there are simple things that are damn hard to replace, and absence of which could make any nice nurse cranky. Here are 10 of them:
1. Coffee.
We cannot imagine how we will survive our day without coffee. Coffee has been our best friend especially during night and overtime shifts. This should be the first in this list, because we know how nurses literally can’t live without coffee.
2. Pen.
It is unimaginable for a nurse to run around the unit without a pen at hand. We use this to take down notes or anything that we shouldn’t forget.
3. Wrist Watch.
It’s a nurse’s job to always assess the patients and ensure that the findings are as accurate as possible. On this note, it is required that they know what time it was when the assessment was done. And that makes wrist watch indispensable.
4. Comfortable Shoes.
If you are a nurse, you’ll definitely agree on this one. Nurses are known to run around the unit all day so if your shoes are not comfortable enough, you will surely end up with blisters. Think about it.
5. Soap.
And water, of course. It is vital for nurses to always wash their hands because they are prone to certain diseases that they might acquire from hospitals. Nurses have been trained to wash their hands often especially during clinicals. How can you properly wash your hands without soap?
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6. Hand Sanitizer.
In line with the vitality of keeping their hands clean, nurses always have a hand sanitizer inside their bags or pockets just in case it’s not possible to wash their hands in between shifts. We all know how busy nurses can get.
7. Tape.
Everything that’s shaking, falling or just wouldn’t stay in place, nurses tape them. Tapes are actually one of nurses’ best friends. Most nurses can’t leave their station without a couple of rolls inside their pockets just in case they would need them.
8. Menthol.
Some use menthol rub (like Vicks), but anything mentholated will do. Nurses usually use this to make awful smells go away. New nurses need this too, just in case they feel like passing out any moment soon.
9. Books.
Whether they are reference books or drug handbooks, nurses need books in their lives, because they will not remember everything that they have learned from nursing school.
10. Lotion.
Most nurses have hands that are cracked, dry and irritated. This is because they wash their hands too often. Lotion makes their hands softer and less irritated or painful.
Your Turn
Can you think of other things that nurses can’t live without? Share them with us!
About the Author: Mary Elizabeth Velarmino Francisco earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Philippines. She is always happy to share her passion for writing and blogging. With coffee running through her veins, she enthusiastically battles each day, one article at a time.