Once you’re accepted into nursing school, you’ll want to prepare for enrollment, which includes purchasing nursing school essentials. You can expect to need some of the same supplies as for any other academic program, along with nursing school-specific supplies for nursing labs and clinical rotations.
Some supplies depend on the stage of nursing school you’re in and the types of clinical experiences. You should keep in mind, however, that it’s common for accelerated nursing programs to start clinical rotations in the first semester.
Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program provides our students with a nursing bag filled with some of the necessary nursing school supplies. During the admissions process, you can talk to your admissions counselor about the supplies you’ll be provided and those you’ll need to purchase.
When purchasing nursing school supplies, it can be helpful to develop a list of essentials and nice-to-have items. Purchase the essentials first and then purchase optional items after reviewing your remaining budget. Start with the school supplies, essential tech, and supplies specific to clinical learning experiences.
Nursing School Supplies
Most of these school supplies are essential for nursing school, so prioritize obtaining them.
- Backpack: Look for one with pockets to keep supplies organized, and consider a roller pack to spare your back. Some backpacks even have built-in phone chargers, which can come in handy on busy days.
- Book stand: Nursing school involves a considerable amount of reading. A book stand can elevate your textbooks and tilt them to avoid neck strain.
- Day planner: You’ll need a day planner to track deadlines, labs, and clinical shifts. Alternatively, save money by using a free day planner app.
- Highlighters: Different colored highlighters will help keep your notes organized.
- Notebooks: Expect to need multiple notebooks each semester. Alternatively, you can keep college-ruled paper in binders for easy organization.
- Pens/pencils: Even if you prefer taking notes on a computer, you never know when you’ll need to take notes quickly. Consider buying different colored pens to organize notes.
- Sticky notes: Sticky notes or arrows can serve as bookmarks to keep your notebooks organized.
- Study guides: Study guides are nursing school essentials, so don’t skimp on them. You can find nursing school study guides on every topic, including pharmacology and cardiac care.
Discover additional steps you can take to prepare for nursing school.
Technology
You may already have some or all of these items. If not, consider purchasing the following or determine a plan to accommodate.
- Laptop: You’ll need a fast, reliable laptop for classes and assignments.
- Noise-canceling headphones: These help reduce distractions during study time.
- Smartphone/apps: On your smartphone, you can download nursing school apps, such as NCLEX-RN question-of-the-day apps and note card apps.
Clinical Nursing School Essentials
During labs and clinical placements, you’ll use certain supplies to take vital signs and tend to your patients. Some will be provided by the facility in which you are working.
Clinical nursing school supplies you likely will encounter include:
- Badge clip/lanyard: You’ll need a badge clip or lanyard for your identification as a nursing student.
- Hemostat: You’ll use a hemostat to clamp blood vessels to control bleeding. It’s also useful for removing small fragments in wounds.
- Masks: Masks protect both you and your patients, preventing the spread of pathogens.
- Medical penlights: Penlights are used to evaluate pupil response and illuminate areas such as the mouth and throat.
- Medical scissors: Medical scissors are indispensable for wound care.
- Medical watch: A medical or nursing watch is useful for taking vital signs.
- Nursing bag: A nursing bag is not the same as a backpack. It’s made specifically to organize nursing supplies.
- Pocket hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizer is useful for infection control.
- Pulse oximeter: A pulse oximeter is a small device that measures oxygen saturation levels.
- Scrubs: You’ll need multiple sets of scrubs.
- Sphygmomanometer: You’ll use this device to measure blood pressure.
- Stethoscope and case: You’ll need a high-quality, durable stethoscope. You may also want to invest in a stethoscope case to protect the device.
Concordia University Irvine provides ABSN students with a nursing tote filled with supplies, some of which include:
- Bandages
- Hemostat
- Nursing bag
- Medical penlight
- Medical scissors
- Stethoscope
Helpful-to-Have Supplies
Although not strictly required, the following nursing school supplies can ease your academic journey.
- Coffee maker: Expect to put in long days. For coffee drinkers, a coffee maker is essential as it helps reduce costs and is much more convenient than stopping at coffee shops on busy days.
- Compression socks: Nurses often wear compression socks during 12-hour shifts. They not only reduce discomfort but also guard against blood clots.
- Earplugs: You’ll be busy in nursing school and will want to optimize your sleep time. Earplugs can help you catch a quick nap during a break on a long day. You can also use them during study time.
- Hand cream: Nurses and nursing students wash their hands often. Protect against dryness and cracks with a high-quality hand cream.
- Insulated lunch bag: An insulated lunch bag can help you avoid the fast-food drive-thru between classes and labs.
- Insulated water bottle: It’s important to stay well-hydrated.
- Loud alarm clock: If you struggle to wake up on time, consider a loud alarm clock to ensure you are not late.
- Supportive shoes: Look for supportive, well-cushioned shoes designed for workers who spend long hours on their feet.
Learn how to pay for nursing school using a variety of funding sources.
Ready to Begin Your Nursing Journey?
At Concordia University Irvine, we offer a values-based curriculum that prepares graduates to be compassionate and competent nurses. With a focus on evidence-based practices and high-quality patient care, we prepare our students to become nurse leaders. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 65 college credits, you might be eligible to start your nursing journey with Concordia University Irvine’s ABSN program.
You can choose from a campus-based program at our main Irvine, California, campus or a hybrid program at our Rancho Cucamonga, California, campus. With three start dates a year, you can start nursing school soon and graduate in as few as 15 months.
Contact our specialized admissions counselors today to determine if the ABSN program is right for you.