This week, I start my first full-time, 15-week clinical internship! I’m so excited to be working in one of the best and biggest trauma hospitals in Pittsburgh for a whole semester. I will be working on the neurology team of PT’s. In preparation for my first day, I got together my bag of everything I may need during my long days at the hospital! Before my first clinical, I wrote a post of what I packed for those two weeks. Since this rotation is much longer and more in-depth, my bag has grown, so I figured it was time for an updated post.
What’s in my bag?!
While I still love my gold Kate Spade tote bag, it just isn’t big enough to hold everything I need in a days work! Since I’ll be walking pretty far and taking a shuttle from the parking lot to the hospital, I decided to just use a larger tote instead of becoming a bag lady! I actually was given my canvas tote bag from a Bank of America giveaway this weekend and it is so nice! It’s huge and has tons of storage-not to mention it’s fun with the neon details! Inside, I am still carrying my Jaanuu bag to hold my stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pen light, tape measure, and reflex hammer. It’s the best-perfect to keep all of my tools in one place! I am also still using the clinical binder I prepared last summer! I have just been adding any pertinent papers that I come across for this rotation. This year, I added a clipboard to write on while I’m in a patient’s room or not near a desk.
Another new addition this year is my planner. You guys know how I love me some planners! This year, I caved and got my first Lilly Pulitzer planner. I purchased the large size, in the pattern catch the wave. The size is perfect; it’s a little bit smaller than a notebook, so it fits perfectly into most purses but there is still plenty of room to write down assignments and appointments! This planner comes with two full sheets of stickers-I love putting a sticker on each important date in my calendar!
I also can’t forget my little Clinique cosmetics bag with essentials to survive long work days! Inside, I have:
- a package of tissues
- eos lip balm
- Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer-always need clean hands for patient contact
- Advil
- hand cream in my favorite scent from Lush-all the hand washing can really dry out your hands!
- a compact and some concealer for touch-ups midday
- travel-sized deodorant and my signature Tory Burch perfume (sometimes treating patients can make ya break a sweat!)
- my favorite Extra gum (never want bad breath for patient/peer conversations!)
- a hair bobble-these are awesome at not creasing your hair!
Essentials!
The final additions to my clinical bag are the latest novel I’m reading for my lunch break (currently obsessed with The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty!), my Macbook Air, and my Vera Bradley lunchbox filled with breakfast, lunch, and snacks to get me from 7 am dinner time! I also have my monogrammed Henri Bendel card case to hold the essentials instead of carrying my whole wallet-it’s the perfect size to fit some cash, my driver’s license, student ID, and credit/debit cards! I bought it at one of their flagship stores in Chicago, where they do monogramming for free-I love how it adds a personal touch!
I’ll be sure to post again soon with updates of my first few days on clinical! What are your “must haves” in your work bag?!
Keep on Dreaming,
Liz
Dreaming dpt 