6 Must Have Items For Nurses
As an aspiring minimalist, I tend to view items as being either essential or non-essential. There are a lot of products out there marketed towards nurses that may seem necessary but add little benefit to your workday.
I wrote a post about the “nursing necessities” in which I covered the handful of items that I feel are absolutely necessary for nurses to have. Be sure to check out that post to see what I think the true nursing essentials are. I list out some of my favorite products and don’t add any unnecessary fluff.
In this post, however, I will be exploring items that add more of a convenience factor or are simply for aesthetic purposes. I deemed them “must haves” because although they aren’t necessarily essential, they are must haves for nurses who want to go the extra mile!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, I make a commission if you use any of the affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Blue light glasses
These blue light filtering glasses have really become popular in the past couple of years. There are several different brands that sell these glasses, but they all aim to filter the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices. This can help reduce eye strain and headaches after prolonged use of electronic devices.
These glasses are perfect for nurses because we chart on electronic devices throughout the day. They are great for nurses who work either day or night shift, but it is even more crucial that night nurses invest in a pair of these glasses.
Plus, they are so many cute styles to choose from that you could make a big fashion statement in a simple way.
I personally have a pair of blue light glasses from Felix Gray. I have had them for about a year and have been pleased with their quality. They are a little more on the pricey side at $100 a pop, so if you want some cheaper options, you can check out some of the options over on Amazon.
If you want to start protecting your eyes from harmful blue light and you like the look of any of these glasses, simply click on the link or the picture and you’ll be taken to Amazon to explore more details about each pair of glasses.
Livho 2 pack blue light glasses:
SOJOS Retro blue light glasses:
Since you won’t be able to try the glasses on before purchasing, be sure to check out this guide from All About Vision that explains which frames look best on which face shapes.
Smart watch
If you don’t already own a smart watch, it would be a great idea to invest in one to utilize during your workday as a nurse. There are many reasons why a smart watch can be a great investment.
I personally have used the Apple Watch Series 4 and have loved the added benefits it provided me during my shifts. I don’t know if all smart watches have the features I am going to cover, so you will want to double check before making any purchases.
If you’re an Android user, then you could opt for the Samsung Galaxy Watch.
First things first, even though I know how to tell time on a traditional clock, it is so much quicker to just turn my wrist towards my face and have the digital read of the time on the Apple Watch. Also, you can program the watch to display military time, so that you don’t have to worry about making timing mistakes in your documentation. The watch also displays the date which can be helpful when working nights since it can often require an embarrassing amount of brain work to remember what day it is.
There is also the option to set a timer on your watch in the case that there is a time sensitive task that you need to stay on top of. I remember consistently using the timer on my smartwatch when I worked with urology patients who had continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) running. I would set a timer for every 15 minutes so that I wouldn’t forget to empty their foley catheter drainage bag. That was such a life saver!
Another great feature is that you are notified when you receive a call or text message on your smart watch. This is perfect for individuals with children or anyone who may have an important call or text they need to be aware of.
If you work night shift, you may also benefit from the flashlight that is available to use on the smart watch. You can be the true stealthy night shift ninja you are by sneaking into your patients’ room to check up on them without turning on any lights.
Finally, you can keep track of some basic fitness data like step count, heart rate, and approximate calories burned. This is great while you’re at work but will also come in handy when you are exercising on your days off.
All in all, a great investment!
Stethoscope accessory
Obviously, every nurse needs an awesome stethoscope. I touched on how the Littman Cardiology IV Stethoscope is my absolute favorite due to its reliability and ease of use in my “nurse essentials” post. But one thing I did not mention is how you can accessorize your stethoscope to add a little pizazz.
This simple addition on your stethoscope can help you express your personal style without being overly bold.
It can also help differentiate your stethoscope from a coworker’s stethoscope if y’all happen to have the same style and color. This has happened to me on numerous occasions and I was always thankful I had added this simple accessory on my stethoscope.
If you’re going to buy an accessory for your stethoscope, be sure you are buying one that will fit the stethoscope that you have. Some accessories will only fit certain stethoscopes.
I personally would recommend checking out Etsy for these type of items. It’s always great to support handmade. 🙂
I purchased my stethoscope accessory from Addie Bean Blossoms if you want to give her shop a look. I have had it on my stethoscope for the past four years and I have had no quality issues with it.
ID badge
Similarly, to the stethoscope accessory, the ID badge is simply to express a little extra style and personality.
The facility you work at will provide you with a plan ID badge clip, but if you want to spice things up then you can get yourself a cute ID badge to do so.
There are SO many different options out there; there really is something for everyone.
Again, shopping handmade over on Etsy is never a bad idea.
But if you prefer shopping over at Amazon, they have some pretty cute badges, as well.
Like this cute little bandaid ID badge:
If you work in Pediatrics, you may consider getting a cartoon character that the kiddos will be familiar with, like this Stitch (from Lilo & Stitch) ID badge:
Nail wraps
Most female nurses (and some male nurses) would likely love to be able to go get a manicure and pedicure a couple times a month to feel pampered and have their nails looking fresh. However, it can be difficult to make time for this simple task, so many nurses may decide to paint their nails themselves at home.
That is a great option to save money, but it is definitely not going to save you time. Applying the nail polish and then letting it air dry seems to be such a long, drawn out process.
That is why I switched over to using nail color wraps. There are a lot of different brands that sell these, but my favorite so far has been ColorStreet. Almost all of the ladies I work with use ColorStreet nail strips since we have a coworker who is a ColorStreet host.
These nail wraps take 10 minutes at most to apply and there is no dry time! You can go on about your business without worrying about messing up your beautiful nails.
The other awesome thing about these wraps is that you could carry some extras in your bag in case some of your nail polish chips while you are at work. It is widely stated by hospital administration that chipped nail polish is unprofessional. If you have some extra wraps in your bag, you could quickly reapply on a chipped nail and not have to worry about getting in trouble at work!
Back brace
This is certainly less glamorous than the other items we have been talking about. However, I have to say that this item could really make a difference!
I started experiencing back pain as a nursing student and still experience back pain to this day. Even though I try to be mindful of using good body mechanics, I often get in a rush and ultimately my back suffers the consequences.
If you can relate to that, then you should consider getting a back brace. Now, it doesn’t have to be a super clunky back brace that everyone can see you are wearing. There are some styles of back braces out there that can be easily concealed under your clothes.
I got this FLA Orthopedics back brace and I can discretely wear it under my scrubs. I will wear this on days when my back is feeling very fatigued or will bust it out when I have a lot of total care patients that require frequent repositioning.
The back brace not only helps support your back, but it also helps you be more cognizant of how you move your body. It is much more difficult to use poor body mechanics when you have a back brace on.
I will even wear this back brace around my house when my back has taken a beating while at work.
I hope you enjoyed this list of must have items for nurses. These items would even be perfect gift options for nurses who already have their basics covered but who deserve to have some “splurge-esque” items.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or just want to talk.
Happy Nursing!