Best Medical Bags and Totes for Nurses
Not any old bag is sufficient to carry your belongs between work and home. A tote or bag is a necessity for almost every nurse. Such a bag comes in handy to carry your stethoscope, your lunch, back-up pens or even a tablet. In our opinion, finding the perfect nurse tote can pretty much make your entire week!
To help with the nurse tote buying process, we’ve put together a buying guide, complete with a few of our own tote suggestions!
Things to consider before buying
Just because you work in a medical setting doesn’t mean your bag has to be a specifically designed for medical professionals. Nurse Theory reminds us, “almost any functional bag can be used as a medical nurse bag and there are a number of nurses who enjoy using brands such as Vera Bradley as their primary nursing bag.”1
Here are a few things to keep in mind when look for a bag:
- Durability: Will it withstand being lugged between work and home?
- Size: How many things will you be carrying and how much space will it all take up?
- Pockets: Do you like more pockets to stay more organized?
- Style: Are you looking for a cute print or a bright color?
- Comfort: Are you looking for a bag with comfortable straps?
- Material: How often do you want to have to clean your bag?
Nurse Theory also points out, “in addition to or aside from purchasing a medical bag you may also want to think about alternative or accessories that may be important in the workplace. Some of these items may include travel organizers, shoe pouches, I.D. tags or if nursing bags and totes aren’t your thing maybe a highly functional backpack alternative.”1
Our Nurse Tote Recommendations
Without further or do, here are our recommendations for a stellar nursing bag:
The Ultimate Medical Bag
PRICE: $33.90
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Jackson said, “with doing home care nursing I need a bag with lots of room and this bag has it. Not only space but the organization of all the pockets so things aren’t just thrown in there. Everything has a spot.”
Stephanie wrote, “excellent bag for clinicals! I was able to fit a lot of things inside the bag along with my stethoscope, BP cuff and other bulky items. The material of the bag is thick and doesn’t rip or get damaged easily.”
SCOUT Halfpint Multi-Pocket Zip-Top Tote
PRICE: $27.50
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
According to Lisa, “[this bag is the] perfect size for my needs. Needed a bag that could be wiped off and this filled the bill. Love the pockets in front and back!”
Angie said “I was looking for a tote that was not too deep for calendar, notebooks, other accessories to keep in my car. This fit the bill! Thought about buying another one just to have in case of this one wears out?”
Nurse Mates Ultimate Nursing Backpack
PRICE: $33.98
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Lin wrote, “my partner and I use these to carry our supplies from our off site office to patient exam rooms. There is ample space for all the medical supplies that we need!”
Another Amazon customer said, “I just got it but I already love the extra areas. I work home health and it appears so far to be very user friendly.”
Everest Luggage Deluxe Shopping Tote
PRICE: $18.44
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One Amazon customer said, “this is a fantastic well made bag. I am a nurse and I can fit everything I need into this bag. Even another pair of shoes!. I like the zippered compartment below. I would definitely buy again. Love the purple color!”
Another customer wrote, “I bought one for myself in coral and one in lime green for my sister. We are nurses and tote around loads of stuff to get us through shifts. These bags are sturdy and just the perfect size. The straps are adjustable and comfortable… I just can’t say enough good things about this bag. I highly recommend it.”
RNPurse
PRICE: $30.00
Nurse Eye Roll said “I really, really like this bag and plan on continuing to use it. I can quickly switch which bag I take to work by keeping all of my nurse-stuff together in one place. I like having it all contained in one cute bag. While initially I didn’t like how large the bag was.. I now really like the size and feel like it’s appropriate. I also really appreciate that a portion of each purchase goes to the March of Dimes.”
Having the right tote to carry your stuff has the power to make or break a shift. Hopefully this guide serves as a good starting point for your nurse tote search. Happy shopping!
What type of bag do you use as a nurse? Tell us in the comments below!
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