In the field of travel nursing, it is likely that you will have your supplies on you while at work. But what if a natural disaster or another unexpected event were to occur? In order to always keep yourself prepared, you may want to have a little extra supply of these medical must-haves:
Hand sanitizer
You never know what you may be doing when your medical skills are needed, so keep a bottle of hand sanitizer available at all times. Soap and water won't always be around to clean off your hands before assisting a patient, so use the sanitizer instead. Outside of a crisis situation, it's also a great way to prevent yourself from falling ill as your travel nursing jobs keep you on the go.
Medical tape
Different varieties of medical tape could come in handy in the event you have to unexpectedly bandage someone's wound. As a travel nurse, you will most likely have a ready supply of micropore tape available for keeping IVs in place, so keep a roll handy at all times.
Notebook
Be sure to keep a notepad and pen on you so that you can write down any patient information as necessary. This can also make for a great resource to reference any notes or treatment options you want to keep on hand. If you've been tracking a patient's stats, it's important that you are able to reference the information once he or she arrives at the hospital.
Scissors
Be sure to keep a pair of bandage scissors in your supply bag for cutting gauze and other materials. This will make providing patient care easier in a stressful situation. Make sure the pair that you carry are sharp enough to get the job done.
Stethoscope
A stethoscope can come in handy in a variety of instances as a tool for listening to your patient's heart, veins and intestines. Regardless of if you opt to use a classic version or more advanced model, it's important that your stethoscope is reliable. Having an old one that doesn't provide the best results won't do you much good when there are no other supplies available.
Thermometer
Although you may be able to visibly tell that a patient is suffering a fever, a thermometer will provide you with clarification in less-severe situations. You can just carry a standard variety, there's no need to keep an expensive electric version on you.
Watch
The type of watch you wear is completely up to you, but you will want to purchase one that has a second hand. Also consider that it may get banged around a bit, so opt for a durable version over a decorative option.