Whether your nurse’s office is located in a school, the local community, or a large corporation, the medical care you provide is only good as the proper tools. When patients rely on you to keep them healthy and safe, having the right supplies at hand will save them from pain – and save you from stress.
From bandages to thermometers, these are the medical supplies every nurse’s office should have. Which of these do you still need to get?
Bandages
Scraped knee? Paper cut? Bee sting? There’s a bandage for that. Because cuts and bruises come in all shapes and sizes, you’ll want to make sure you have bandages in a variety of sizes and shapes.
Blood pressure monitors
Along with heart rate, body temperature and respiratory rate, blood pressure is one of the vital signs that determines our health. Using a blood pressure monitor is necessary to determine a patient’s blood pressure, as long term hypertension can lead to heart disease, stroke, or kidney failure.
First aid kit
While many supplies are useful in a nurse’s office, nothing quite beats the jack-of-all-trades utility of a robust first aid kit. While a proper first aid kit may contain several items already on this list, the mobility of a first aid kit allows you to treat a patient outside of your office.
Hand sanitizer
Any time you find yourself in a medical situation is a time when you should be using hand sanitizer. While it may sound like a cliché, the old adage is true: prevention is the best cure. Using hand sanitizer is one of the easiest ways to prevent germs and future illnesses.
Medical waste disposal
From discarded bandages to hypodermic needles, medical waste has a habit of piling up. Unfortunately, medical waste isn’t like ordinary waste, in that it can’t simply be thrown out with the trash. Don’t forget to provide your nurse’s office with proper medical waste disposal.
Over-the-Counter pain relievers
As insignificant as it may seem, there’s something kind of miraculous about swallowing a small pill to alleviate pain. Providing over-the-counter pain relievers is a necessity for those combating headaches and other basic pain ailments.
Reference books
Because the human body is wonderfully complicated, even the most brilliant physician in the world needs to consult a reference from time to time. One of the smartest things you can do for your nurse’s office is ensuring that you have a medical reference book nearby.
Scissors
From cutting a bandage to cutting away blood-soaked shirt, you never know how a pair of scissors may come in handy. No nurse’s office is complete without a pair of sturdy, clean scissors.
Stethoscope
Despite being 200 years old, the stethoscope is still one of the most common tools found in a nurse’s office. Pressing a stethoscope against a chest allows the user to determine whether a heartbeat is normal or has a murmur, which is a good determination of heart health.
Thermometer
Let’s face it: placing a hand lightly on a patient’s forehead isn’t exactly the most scientific way to determine whether they have a fever. This is when a good, accurate thermometer comes in handy.
This list is just a beginning; are there any must-have medical supplies we left off the list? Please let us know in the comments below. And if you’re looking for more medical tools, don’t forget to visit Quill.com for more essential supplies.