What to carry in your nurse bum bag (and how to choose a good one)

Pens, scissors, tape, your phone, your locker key… By mid-morning, the pockets of your scrubs are full to bursting. That’s why more and more nurses, healthcare assistants and veterinary teams are wearing a bum bag (or waist bag): everything to hand, at your waist, and your hands free.

In short: Keep in your nurse bum bag whatever you use on every round (pens, scissors, tape, phone and keys), and choose a compact one with plenty of pockets, washable fabric and your embroidered name.

Popular bum bags

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What to carry in your nurse bum bag

The trick is to carry what you use on every round, not everything you might possibly need. Here’s a good starting point:

Shift kit

• Pens in a couple of colours, plus a marker or highlighter.
• Scissors and a pair of forceps.
• Tape: even better if your bum bag has a holder for the roll.
• A pen torch, a tourniquet and any other small bits you use on your ward.
• A small notebook or your handover sheet, folded.

Personal bits

• Your phone and your locker keys.
• Your hospital ID card, if you don’t wear it on your lanyard.
• Lip balm, a spare scrunchie and a snack for your break.

Overload it and your waist will feel it by the end of the shift. Go through it every few days and take out anything you haven’t used.

How to choose a good nurse bum bag

• Compact enough not to get in the way: ours measure 24 × 17 cm. Your essentials fit, and it won’t bother you when you bend down or move between beds.
• Plenty of well-thought-out pockets: a roomy lined inner pocket, two back pockets and several compartments on the front for pens, scissors or forceps.
• A tape holder: it sounds like a small detail, but it’s the one you’ll appreciate most.
• Easy-wash fabric: we make ours in cotton, which is hard-wearing and easy to wash.
• An adjustable strap, so it sits just right over your scrubs.
• Your name on it: it can be embroidered, so it never gets mixed up with anyone else’s at the nurses’ station.

Bum bag, pocket organiser or multi-slot organiser?

They don’t compete: they work together.

• The pocket organiser sits inside the pocket of your scrubs and protects it from pens and scissors. We explain it all in pocket organisers: what they are and what they’re for.
• The multi-slot pocket organiser has more slots and keeps things tidy if you carry everything in your tunic.
• The bum bag is for when it won’t all fit in your pockets, or your scrubs don’t have any.

Not sure what goes where? Have a look at our checklist of what to keep in your tunic pocket.

A gift they’ll use every day

A bum bag in their favourite print, with their embroidered name, is a practical gift for someone starting their placement, for the ward Secret Santa or simply to say thank you. You’ll find more ideas in gifts for nurses.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the bum bag?

It measures 24 × 17 cm: room for your shift essentials without getting in the way as you move. It has a roomy lined inner pocket, two back pockets, several compartments on the front and a tape holder.

Can I have my name embroidered on it?

Yes. Embroidery is optional and you choose it on each bum bag’s product page.

How long will it take to arrive?

Every piece is made for your order: allow 7–10 working days plus delivery. Delivery is free on orders of €90 or more.

Over 190 reviews give us 4.9 on Trustpilot. Want a different fabric or a special order? Message us on WhatsApp (+34 654 014 889) and we’ll help.