One of the most common tools that a nurse uses is the stethoscope. This is a diagnostic instrument used to listen to a patient's chest cavity, heart and various pulse points. It's a great tool to help make an initial diagnosis while avoiding any invasive type of examination procedures. The nurse simply listens for irregular sounds, congestion, restored blood flow or any other sound that might aid in the discovery of the condition. It is also used in a simple checkup to make sure everything is functioning as it should.

Nurses also need to have a pair of scissor handy allowing them to cut wound dressings, gauze, enteral feeds...etc. It is also important for them to have a pen to chart and note important information about their patients. Nurses also use gloves to prevent bacteria from spreading and they often times need a wristwatch to keep track of incremental data about a patient like their heart rate.

Probably the most well known and most common of nursing supplies is the medical uniform or nursing scrubs. There are a variety of items that make up this uniform and probably the most typical items that make up a nursing uniform are scrub pants and scrub tops. The uniform also will include nursing shoes and sometimes a jacket and hat. These items were mostly white at one time, but are now offered in a large variety of colors. They are also offered in a large variety of styles and sizes. While some brands focus on style others focus on comfort.

As you can see, nurses use a variety of different tools and supplies to help them accomplish their job in caring for their patients.