Introduction
Community nurses play a vital role in providing health services directly to patients in their homes and communities. As a community nurse, having the right accessories can greatly improve your efficiency and ability to deliver excellent patient care during home visits. This article outlines the top recommended accessories for community nurses that will enhance mobility, organization, safety, and more when working in the field.
Lightweight Backpack or Tote Bag
Having a reliable, comfortable bag to transport your medical equipment and supplies for home visits is essential for community nurses. Look for bags that:
- Are lightweight but durable and weather-resistant
- Have multiple compartments/pockets for organization
- Allow for easy access to supplies and devices
- Distribute weight evenly across shoulders (for backpacks)
Top backpack picks include hydration-ready style packs from brands like CamelBak or backpacks designed specifically for nursing. Top-rated totes and medical bags brands include Professional Case, Pacific Prime, and Ogio.
Portable Medical Kits
Well-stocked portable medical kits that consolidate your most used supplies in one place help nurses conduct assessments quickly. The best medical kits for community nurses feature:
- Durable, moisture-proof hard case construction
- Customized trays and compartments for organization
- Shoulder strap/easy transport for house calls
- Contents like PPE, stethoscope, penlight, tourniquet, bandages
Rover and Statpack make quality portable field medical kits designed specifically for community health settings.
Digital Pen and Notebook
A digital pen that syncs written notes to online patient charts and a weather-proof notebook help document field assessments efficiently by:
- Streamlining documentation workflows
- Allowing real-time chart updates during home visits
- Enabling paperless collaboration back at the clinic
Top digital pen options include the Equil Smartpen2 or Moleskine Pen+ Ellipses Smart Writing System. Rite in the Rain notebooks withstand any field conditions. Opt for a pocket size that fits in your bag.
Mobile Charging Power Bank
A compact but high-capacity power bank helps keep nurses powered up with mobile devices like smartphones on the go. Key features for a nursing power bank include:
- 10,000 mAh+ charging capacity
- Multiple charging ports (ideally USB-C PD compatible)
- Durable, pocketable design with battery indicator
Recommended power bank brands include Anker, Mophie, and Belkin. Avoid cheap models with lower capacities that deteriorate more quickly.
Cold/Hot Gel Packs
Transporting medications that require cold or hot temperature storage becomes easier with durable cold/hot gel packs that maintain desired temps hours. Useful features include:
- Inner water-based gels that resist leaking
- Double-walled designs that retain safe temps
- Reusable – can be re-frozen/heated many times
- Soft exteriors that won’t damage meds
Cold/hot gel packs from Cryopak, Soft Ice, and ColPac deliver the right stability for transporting nurses’ temperature-sensitive medications or specimens during community rounds.
Conclusion
Equipping your nursing bag with handy accessories that increase portability, organization, safety, connectivity, and more makes a big difference in a community nurse’s ability to capably serve patients on the move. Investing in a thoughtfully designed backpack, versatile portable medical kit, digital documentation tools, reliable power bank, and cold chain temperature control allows nurses to focus fully on delivering excellent in-home care rather than worrying about cumbersome gear. With the right accessories at hand, community health nurses can spend more time doing what they do best – compassionately caring for patients across neighborhoods.