4 Locker Essentials for Nurses In Case of Unexpected Overtime and Emergencies
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As a new nurse before, I never knew that there are important things to keep in a locker for nurses. Commonly known as “locker essentials for nurses”, these are the things that will be very useful and handy in times of emergencies at work.
I slowly learned the things useful to have in my locker over the years when I encountered unfortunate events while working. Unexpected overtime shifts, scrub accidents and natural disasters are just some of the unforeseeable crises that you might encounter as a nurse.
It’s always better to be prepared! Scroll down below and ponder if my own locker checklist will be also useful for you:
1. Extra scrubs
Accidents happen – you might get spills of blood, vomit, urine, or feces on your scrubs. If the place where you are working doesn’t provide scrubs to employees, you should be ready with a spare pair in your locker. You should also keep spare socks and undergarments with it.
For me, extra scrubs and undergarments come handy whenever I need to do an extended shift for overtime. It’s nice to freshen up a little bit and change my scrubs before my extended shift starts!
2. Nutritious and comforting snacks
I know that we have a cafeteria nearby, a pantry room, and a vending machine. But what if the cafeteria is closed, the pantry room is empty and the vending machine is malfunctioning? It happened to me before when we were all trapped in the hospital during a major hurricane blow. When the rain and wind subsided, one of us had to be the runner and buy food from the nearest convenience store outside the hospital.
Since then, I always made sure that I have snacks in my locker. Granola bars, protein bars, and instant oatmeal cups are my favorite shelf-stable but guilt-free snacks. Instant soup cups are also good but choose brands that are low in sodium and more natural like this instant bone broth soup cup. Eating high-sodium snacks will make you feel more tired and sluggish because of water retention.
3. Toiletries
As I said earlier, accidents happen. It’s best to be prepared with your own toiletries whenever you need to clean up rather than scrambling for hospital soap and shampoos in the stock room. You should buy travel-size versions of your toiletries to keep in your locker in case you need them.
Here are the things I keep in my toiletry bag for my locker:
- Travel-size soap
- Travel-size shampoo
- Deodorant
- Dry shampoo
- Facial wash
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Mouthwash
- Dental floss
- Mini lotion
- Tampons/sanitary pads
- Wet wipes
- Moisturizer
4. Medications
Medications you should have in your locker will depend on your existing medical conditions. If you have allergies, hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions, you should always have an extra pack of your life-saving medications in your locker. But basic over-the-counter medications are also handy to have like:
That’s everything! Any more suggestions? Let me know in the comments 😉
