As a nursing student first attending clinical, it can be difficult to know what to bring. Especially when there is limited space to store your things. The following is a list of clinical must haves to bring without going overboard!
1. Lunch and Lunch Box
Lunch, snacks, and water are going to fuel your shift! Make sure you are bringing quick and easy to eat snacks, lots of water and a lunch that will hold you until your shift is over. Remember, some shifts are going to be long and crazy and there might only be small pockets of time to eat. So bring something like a granola bar to help get you through.
2. Stethoscope
Your stethoscope is part of your nursing uniform. Whenever you put those scrubs on, your stethoscope should come with it. You are going to use this on literally every patient.
Pro Tip: Be sure to label all your supplies, including your stethoscope, with your name on it so it doesn’t go missing!
3. Pen Light
Pen lights come in handy when you’re checking pupils, but they also come in handy when checking in on a dark room. Trying to assess a dressing without waking the patient? Use your pen light!
4. Pen and Paper
As a nursing student there is always so much to learn. Even as a new nurse you’re constantly going to be learning, so make sure you always have a pen and paper to take notes with.
5. Clipboard
During your clinical rotations it might be difficult to find a place to sit down and take notes at. That’s where the clipboard comes in. Nursing clipboards are the best to provide a writing surface but also to reference things like blood gases and ABG’s.
Be sure to visit Nursing School Must Haves fore more school essentials.
6. Clinical School Work
Make sure if you have an assignment due after each clinical day that you bring the assignment with you. This way you can get all the information you need from the patient/computer and write it down. It’s much easier doing it in the hospital before you’re back at home trying to remember it, trust me, we’ve all been there.
Also visit How to Survive Nursing School for more tricks.
7. Extra Study Material
Some clinical days are going to be slower than others. And all you’ll be thinking about is that big exam coming up and how you’re wasting valuable study time. To help make the most of your time, bring a study guide or some study materials with you. This way, you can study on your lunch break or whenever there’s down time. Another benefit of doing this is seeing real life examples and even being able to discuss a topic you might be struggling on with a practicing nurse.
Be sure to visit How to be Successful in Nursing School for more study tips.
8. Nursing App
Nursing apps are a great resource in clinicals. Rather than having to carry around a huge pharmacology book, you have it all on your phone! Just make sure that your phone is charged and that you let your nurse know what you are doing before you pull your phone out. If they don’t know what you’re doing it could look like you’re texting or doing something non-productive and wasting their time. A good nursing app I use is Nursing Central by Unbound Medicine.
9. Chap Stick
I can’t even tell you how many times I needed chap stick at work and realized I didn’t have any. Be prepared and put an extra chap stick in your pocket!
Pro Tip: Make sure to take the chap stick out of your pockets before you throw your scrubs in the wash 🙂
10. Hair Tie
Hair ties break. You don’t want to be placing an IV with your hair all in your face because you forgot a hair tie or it broke. So make sure you always have and extra one. I always keep a hair tie on my badge so I don’t have to even think about it.
11. Scrub Jacket
It gets cold in the hospital. Make sure you have some sort of scrub jacket so you don’t freeze.
12. Supplies
The exact supplies you need will depend on what rotation you’re in. A good rule of thumb though is to always have tape, alcohol wipes, a flush, and a pair of scissors. You don’t need to bring these with you, but you should gather them from the supply room at the beginning of your shift. You never know when you’ll need them. And you don’t want to constantly be having to go from your patients room to the supply room every time you need something as simple as an alcohol wipe.
13. Watch
Most hospital rooms will have a clock, but you never know when they’re going to be off or broken. Either way, it’s just easier to have a watch right on your wrist to count how many breaths your patient is taking in a minute.
14. Shoes and Socks
Having the right socks and shoes from the beginning of your nursing career is going to make all the difference. The combination of compression socks and nursing clogs are my favorite. Trust me, your feet are going to thank you.
15. Badge Reference Card
Being a new nursing student there is so much you aren’t going to know off the top of your head. And that is okay! That’s where nursing reference cards come in handy. You can choose exactly what you need for that clinical rotation and get a card with it on it! Need to know labs? Get a lab reference card!
16. Ready to Learn Attitude
This is probably the easiest but also the most forgotten one. So many nursing students go into clinicals worried, anxious, and stressed. Just remember, we’ve all been there! Even if experienced nurses are jaded and don’t remember this, that’s a them problem not a you problem. You’re going to come across rude nurses or people wherever you go, just make sure that isn’t you. Coming into clinicals with a positive ready to learn attitude makes your day go by faster and you’ll actually learn more! If you show eagerness to learn, someone’s going to pick up on that and want to teach you something new or show you something cool you’ve probably never seen before!
Stay positive and ready to learn and take on clinicals with ease!
Also check out the following!
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Preceptorship
- Organizational Brain Template for New Nurses
- Charting Tips for New Nurses
- How to do a Quick yet Effective Head-to-Toe Assessment
- Tips for New Nurses on Calling the Doctor
- Managing and Preventing Student Stress
- Gift Ideas for Your Nurse Preceptor