You should receive a list of suggested equipment and books from your school. A college book store is a good place to buy used texts if you live in a fairly sized city. They are much cheaper. If you didn’t then we are here to tell you about accessories for New Nursing Students.
List of Recommended Accessories
Wristwatch with a second hand
A wristwatch with a second hand! My father gave me his, and I still have it. It’s a Timex. It must be water-resistant. You’ll be washing your hands. I’ve seen nurses with digital watches, and it just seems like a waste to have to push buttons before checking your patients.ients. (Totally personal opinion.)
Stethoscope
You’ll need a good Stethoscope, not a cheap one. However, you don’t need to spend a lot on one. Prices range from next to nothing to hundreds of dollars. (Or more) Mine have ranged from $50 to $75. You will be listening to and assessing many different areas of the body.
Support Stockings
I would also recommend wearing sturdy support stockings. The General Surgeon at my training hospital told me that after work you should stretch out on the bed, or on a couch near a wall. Put your feet against the wall and lift them high above your head for 5–10 minutes. In conjunction with the stockings, it reduces swelling, and the development of varicose veins is lessened.
Nurse Mate shoes
We spent a lot of time on marble floors and in old Nurse Mate shoes, and we left our legs up until our feet tingled. There were no sneakers with shock absorbers or arch supports. Our feet swelled. When the hospital was short staffed, they called the dorm. When it was your turn, you went to work and stayed up the following day for classes.
The nice thing about nursing is that you can try so many fields until you find one you like.
Needless to say, if you’re a nursing student right now, you have chosen a profession to be proud of, and one that will be more rewarding than you ever thought possible. But first, you just gotta get through nursing school.
In a lot of ways, nursing school is harder than being a “real” nurse, thanks to the uncertainty, stress, and um, no paycheck. So we’re here to help in any way we can, by arming you with the tools + tricks to make up the ultimate nursing school survival kit.
A Note-Taking Kit
The most important takeaway from our popular Instagram question was that taking good, organized notes is key to nursing school success. Nursing students and nurses have mastered the art of note-taking. What are their secrets? Well, color-coded notes are crucial to keeping notes organized, easy to follow, and easy to retain.
Would you like some help taking notes in nursing school that are organized and color-coded? Here is a guide to help you color-code notes – the best way! Obtain your FREE 5-Step Color Coding Note-Taking Strategy for Nursing School.
Voice recorder. Using a voice recorder during lectures is highly recommended, depending on your learning style. On their commutes and even first thing in the morning, many nursing students listen to their lectures over and over again. You’ll never lose it with this keychain version.
Also Read: Which laptop for a Phd student you should have?
Technology and Gadgets
Laptop: Nurses are required to use laptops in most nursing schools. Nowadays, many classes are offered online, so investing in a quality laptop in advance is a wise move. Regardless of whether you’re a Mac or PC user, make sure you do your research.
The investment in a laptop is well worth it. You might want to start with a Macbook Air since it’s lightweight and portable.
iPad. While it’s not required some people prefer to use a compact and easy-to-access iPad or tablet in addition to their laptop.
Wireless mouse. The long cords of traditional-style mice are cumbersome and will get in the way.
Extras that are good to have
Some nurses who have been through nursing school also recommend these “extras” to help you succeed both in class and in clinicals.
Lunch box and backpack. While you can purchase a separate backpack and lunch box, we think this combo version is pretty good at multitasking, just like any good nurse.
In addition to carrying books and notebooks, you can pack a full day’s worth of food and snacks in the insulated compartment, and even charge your phone using the USB port. Snacks and phone charging = survival tools for any nurse.
Drug reference guide. At least one copy of it is provided by most hospitals (actually ALL hospitals) I’ve worked at, but it’s usually stolen pretty quickly.
Remember, you should grab some disposable gloves as you enter the patient’s room! When you pull back those covers, you never know what you will discover! If you’re going to the unit for clinicals, spend a few minutes getting to know where everything is located.
