Talia Lego
- Aug 17, 2023
- 3 min read

The Med Surg Nurse Starter Kit

Medical surgical floors at hospitals are the hodge-podge for all cases that need somewhere to be overnight to be monitored. It might be the 99 year old with pneumonia or a 5 year old who drank bleach under the sink. Also known as med surg nurses, it is a common spot to start out as a nurse because you see so many different cases and it is a great place to gather experience before you choose to move into a more specialized type of nursing.

I personally was never a medical surgical nurse, but I would float there from time to time to help the units out. I also did my internship for 3 months on a med surg floor. Those nurses need to know how to use their time wisely because patient assignments are often tough and those patients can be timely in the care and medications that are needed.

Because this is supposed to be fun and light hearted, I figured I would share a list of common pet peeves that nurses often complain about with patients. Medical Surgical patients have a reputation of being needy and I’m sure many other nurses can complain about other things.

Patients who claim they're allergic to everything except the hospital Wi-Fi.
IV lines that have a secret agenda to become tangled messes while you're not looking.
Bedpans that seem to have a magical ability to disappear when you need them.
When patients ask if they can keep their appendix as a souvenir.
The "vampire" patients who insist on having blood drawn only in the middle of the night.
Colleagues who hoard the good pens, leaving only the ones that barely work.
Patients who develop selective hearing when it's time for vital signs.
The mystery of how call lights malfunction only during your bathroom break.
Running out of creative ways to say "Are you sure you should be eating that?" to patients with restricted diets.
When a patient believes their WebMD search trumps your medical degree.

Remember, these pet peeves are all in good fun and meant to bring a smile to your face. Medical surgical nurses work tirelessly and provide invaluable care to patients every day. Let’s get to the fun stuff!

What are the Med Surg nurses wearing?

Figs will be the common denominator between pretty much all types of nurses.

These are the best scrubs. A lot of the time I see the med surg nurses wearing under scrub tops without anything else! Or a nursing t-shirt to keep work a little more casual. Med surg nurses are wearing On Running shoes because of the comfort and needing to run all around the unit to get to all of their patients!

What are the Med Surg nurses carrying?

These Nurses are looking for convenience, to hold all of their supplies. Many med surg nurses carry their own scissors, pen lights, stethoscopes, and more! North Face backpacks are a popular one to throw all of the supplies needed for a shift! Don’t forget about the Stanley Cup to keep their water in all shift long ( this also will keep your water cold for 12+ hours!).

What are the Med Surg nurses drinking and eating?

Because these nurses are nonstop their entire shift, I will most likely see these nurses chugging a Celsius during a 15.

These nurses are also looking for quick and easy meals so Factor meals to throw in the microwave work perfect to get the nutrients and protein to get through shifts!