Nurse Circus List

One of my kind readers, Carrie, recently posted the following comment in response to my prior post, Three-Ring Circus:

"Hi, Jill! 

I'm a CMA and would love to know the"list" you give your new MAs. I am always searching for ways to maximize efficiency for our staff and this sounds like it would be a great addition. "

So I thought I'd share with you the following one-paged "pocket table" that I dispense to all of my new medical assistants who room my patients, which truly saves me a lot of time and allows for a more efficient patient flow.  But you may want to tweak it here and there to suit your own clinic needs, or even add to it:

VISIT TYPE	SUPPLIES NEEDED	PATIENT PREPARATION	TESTS TO PERFORM
Breast Complaints		Undress from waist up w/ gown
Chest Pain or Palpitations			EKG
Eye Complaints	Eye Tray: flouresceine strips, flouresceine lamp, normal saline		Visual acuity
Shortness of Breath			Pulse Oximetry
Urine Symptoms			Urine dip
Vaginal Discharge	Wet mount supplies (slides, slide covers, KOH, saline), speculum, jelly, a working pap light	Undress from waist down w/ gown
Pelvic Pain	Speculum, jelly, a working pap light	Undress from waist down w/ gown
Warts (body or genital)	Liquid Nitrogen
Pap Smear	Speculum, jelly, a working pap light, pap slide/container w/ label on it, 2 pap swabs	Undress completely w/ gown	· If less than age 26:  urine GC/Chl · If new contraception requested:  U preg test
IUD Insertions	Speculum, jelly, a working pap light, IUD, betadine, large cotton swab, sounding instrument, tenaculum, sterile gloves	· IUD consent signed by pt & nurse as witness. · Confirm neg pap & GC/Chl in past 1 yr. · Complete IUD wallet-card for patient.	U preg test
Endometrial Biopsy (EMB)	Speculum, jelly, a working pap light, betadine, large cotton swabs, tenaculum, EMB pipelle, specimen cup w/ label, sterile gloves.	· Consent signed by pt & nurse as witness. · Undress from waist down w/ gown.	U preg test
Obstetrics/Prenatal Care	Doppler, measuring tape.		U dip
Toenail Removals	Betadine swabs, 10 mL syringe, lidocaine w/o epi, 18 G needle, 25 G 1.5 inch needle, one alcohol pad, tourniquet, nail elevator, nail splitter, hemostat, many sterile gauze, phenol swabs, antibiotic oint, curlex gauze, tape.	· Consent signed by patient & nurse as witness. · Patient’s shoes/socks off. · Chux underneath foot.
Pediatric Physicals		· Patient’s immunization card. · Growth chart plotted. · BMI recorded. · Pt undressed completely w/ gown.	Hgb level required? Lead level required? Visual acuity required? Hearing test required? Urine dip required?

If you have anything to add to this list, please do share!