Gerard
Purchasing equipment for Clinical the summer before you begin your first clinical can be extremely exciting, but also overwhelming!! Making a list of the things you need to purchase first is a priority. Once you know what you need to purchase, you can look into different brands and types of products. It is necessary to set a budget and to start saving ahead of time as purchasing all of this equipment at once can cost you a lot of money. Once you have a budget and a list you can start purchasing items that you want to buy.
Scrubs:
Scrubs are extremely popular these days. Since the pandemic hit, most healthcare professionals are wearing scrubs. While there are many options out there to choose from, I find that Figs are great scrubs all around. One of the greatest feature is that they are antimicrobial, Not only do the help in stopping the spread of dangerous infections, they reduce the accumulation of odors and stains, which ultimately improves their longevity. They are also waterproof, which truly helps. Figs are wrinkle-free and come pre-shrunk. They have a few options to choose from. They have a great overall feel and fit unlike other scrubs, which are usually boxy, rough to touch and wrinkly. They actually fit like normal clothes. Their pants come in a few options – their joggers are my favorite. While some have more pockets than others – it is up to you to decide what you like. One slight downside is that they only come in few colors. They are more uniform like. The only major downside is the price, but they offer discounts to health care workers and best of all, they donate a set to a health care professional in need. https://www.wearfigs.com/
Stethoscope:
While there are many options to choose from, to me the Littmann Classic III Stethoscope is one of the most popular and valued stethoscopes in the medical field. Every time I searched the internet for the best stethoscope for Nursing Students, Littmann Class III came up. I found that it had the best reviews. It seems that this option is the logical choice by a range of healthcare professionals from medical students and EMT’s to nursing students and specialists. Both sides of the chest piece are tunable which allows for great sound accuracy and range. It’s next generation single lumen tubing design seems durable and I feel it will resist wear and tears. This stethoscope comes in a wide range of styles and colors, including tubing colors and chest piece finishes. You can also have it engraved. Overall, it is fairly lightweight and is comfortable to wear around your neck. It’s hard to purchase something you have never used before, so relying on reviews is necessary. I can attest that this is a great stethoscope. One great benefit is it comes with a respectable 2 year warranty.
Nursing Bag:
Entering Junior year, we were given a list of nursing items that we would need for our clinical – stethoscope, blood pressure monitor, penlight, nursing scissors, and a hemostat. It was also recommended that we purchase a nursing bag for these supplies. A handy nursing bag makes it easier to carry everything you need for clinical. There are so many options for nursing bags to choose from. Some recommend a hard-surface bag that can easily be disinfected and that offers plenty of pockets to keep your items organized. For me, I opted to go with a Timbuk 2 extra-small, water resistant, messenger bag. It’s extremely lightweight, very stylish, has many pockets to keep your items organized and can be disinfected with Lysol wipes. Purchasing a bag it personal and there are many bags out there to choose from. Again most important is pockets and one that can be disinfected, you should be fine. One last thing, you don’t need a big bag, just one that can carry your nursing items, your phone, a small notebook and maybe a snack and you should be ready to go! https://www.timbuk2.com/
Sphygmomanometer:
Again, another item on the market with many options to choose from. I purchased the MDF Calibra model sphygmomanometer, as it was recommended by our school, I really seem to like it. I did read reviews on it prior to buying and MDF is a popular one on the market. While learning more about what I was buying, the MDF is stress-test during the manufacturing process and must pass five independent calibrations. The MDF is a highly reliable blood pressure device that is guaranteed for lifetime calibration. It is highly recommended for nursing school students for clinicals. This sphygmomanometer attains an accuracy of +13 mmHg and has an easy to read dial. This device has a heavy duty clip that allows you to attach the gauge to the holder on the cuff for both self-measurement and easy one-hand operation when needed. The cuff and inflation bulb are made from latex-free PVC, which is both hypoallergenic and easy to disinfect/wipe down. Some unites may be defective – like mine was – but asking for a replacement was easy. If you are looking for a high-quality, affordable sphygmomanometer, this is the one you should choose.
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