15 Nursing Hacks You Won’t Find in Textbooks

You’ve memorized the pharmacology charts. You’ve passed the simulations. You’ve done the study groups, the flashcards, and maybe even cried over a dosage calc or two. But out on the floor? It’s a whole different game.

That’s where the real nursing hacks come in — the clever, unexpected tricks that make your shift smoother, faster, and way less stressful. These are the little things that nobody teaches you in school, but every nurse ends up picking up somewhere along the way.

Here are 15 of the best ones I’ve gathered (and wish I’d known sooner):

Let’s dive in!

🧤 Prep & Setup Hacks

1. The Sharpie Shift Trick

Clip a mini Sharpie to your badge reel — it’s perfect for labeling specimens, meds, or IV bags without smudging. Plus, it disappears less than a pen (we all know the pen struggle is real).

2. Double-Glove for Foley Insertion

Wear two pairs of gloves during Foley prep. When you're ready to insert, peel off the outer pair — your sterile gloves stay truly sterile, and you avoid contamination without the awkward glove-change shuffle.

3. Print Extra Patient Labels

Start every shift by printing 2–3 sets of patient labels. Tuck them in your pocket or badge clip. You’ll thank yourself when you’re rushing to label labs, meds, or charting notes and don’t have time to run back to the computer.

🛏️ Patient Care & Positioning Hacks

4. Turn the Bed, Not Your Back

Before repositioning a patient, raise the bed to waist height. Use your legs and hips — not your back — to avoid strain. Your future self (and your lower back) will thank you.

5. Paper Towel Foot Guard on Scales

When weighing a bed-bound or weak patient on a standing scale, place folded paper towels under their heels. It reduces friction and prevents the scale from sticking to their skin.

6. Badge Card + Dry Erase = Instant Notes

Laminate your cheat sheets and attach them to your badge ring. Use a dry-erase marker to jot down vitals, room numbers, or med times. Wipe clean at the end of your shift — boom, reusable and stress-free.

💉 IV, Meds & Technical Tricks

7. IV Sticker = Emergency Tape

No tape? No problem. Peel the label off an IV bag — it’s sticky and surprisingly effective in a pinch when you need to secure a line or dressing fast.

8. Lidocaine Lube for NG Tubes

Before inserting an NG tube, ask for lidocaine gel instead of standard lube. It helps numb the nasal passage, making the experience smoother for the patient (and for you).

9. Highlight the MAR

Use a highlighter or dry-erase overlay to mark the medications due within the next hour on your MAR. When your brain is juggling a dozen things, this tiny move helps you focus and stay on track.

🚨 Emergencies & High-Stress Situations

10. Glove-Inside-Glove CPR Hack

Double glove before a code or CPR. After chest compressions, peel off the outer gloves — your hands are clean and ready to chart, document, or take a quick breather without contaminating anything.

11. Juice Box = Hypo Hero

Keep a couple of juice boxes in your med cart or pocket (especially if you work in peds or med-surg). They’re quick, portable glucose boosters for hypoglycemic patients — no need to call dietary in a rush.

🔁 Workflow Game-Changers

12. Menthol in the Mask

Wound care? GI bleed? Anything that smells bad? Dab a bit of menthol ointment (like Vicks) inside your mask or under your nose. It helps take the edge off unpleasant odors so you can focus.

13. Pen Necklace or Badge Reel Hack

Loop a pen through your badge reel or wear one on a cheap lanyard. Not only do you stop losing pens, but you also avoid that awkward “Can I borrow your pen?” shuffle every five minutes.

🍫 Staying Sane (and Slightly More Human)

14. Snack Stash in Your Scrubs

Keep a protein bar or two in your scrub pocket. You will forget to eat. You will hit a wall. And hanger is a real workplace hazard when you’re 9 hours into a 12-hour shift.

15. Lotion Bottle = Phone Stand

Need to FaceTime a translator, catch a training video, or scroll through Medscape during downtime? Prop your phone against a lotion bottle — instant, hands-free stand. No shame in the multitask game.

These are the kinds of hacks that don't come from textbooks — they come from surviving and adapting on the job. They’re the things you pick up after a few chaotic shifts, some trial and error, and maybe a mentor or two who passed them along.

So now I’m passing them to you. 💙

💬Got a nursing hack that’s changed your shift?
Drop it in the comments or DM me — let’s build a library of real-life nursing wisdom, one small but mighty trick at a time.  

I’d love to feature your tip in Part 2 of this series!

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