After work today (yay! my 60 hour week is over!) I stopped by Office Depot to buy more pens because I've finally run out of them after I bought two boxes last time.
It was while trying to explain to the salesman what I was looking for that I realized what a complete nerd I am. The pen can't have a big rubbery grip because then it doesn't fit in my pocket very well. It can't have a cheap plastic end piece (the little cone-shaped part) because those always slip down and make it hard to write. It has to be a click-pen because I would lose the cap off of a stick pen in about 2 hours. It has to be medium point because thicker than that turns into mud when I'm trying to squeeze a whole narrative into the two inch wide nurse charting section on our ER records and thinner just feels wimpy. It has to be a black pen because that's what nurses chart with in our ER. It can't be a gel pen because they don't transfer through to carbon copies very well. It can't be some crazy style or color because I tend to be very understated and conservative in my style (yup: plain, boring scrubs for me). It can't feel light because I need a good solid pen to write with.
The long-suffering salesman did his best to satisfy my needs, but in the end, nothing lived up to my standards. I realized halfway through that I was being picky about a freaking pen, but that didn't stop me from being picky. It is, after all, the item that I use the most often while working, so I have room to be fussy.
All I want is what I had before. Why do all pens have to suck now?
Oh, and I took care of some sick people and made them feel better and all that stuff...
)
It was while trying to explain to the salesman what I was looking for that I realized what a complete nerd I am. The pen can't have a big rubbery grip because then it doesn't fit in my pocket very well. It can't have a cheap plastic end piece (the little cone-shaped part) because those always slip down and make it hard to write. It has to be a click-pen because I would lose the cap off of a stick pen in about 2 hours. It has to be medium point because thicker than that turns into mud when I'm trying to squeeze a whole narrative into the two inch wide nurse charting section on our ER records and thinner just feels wimpy. It has to be a black pen because that's what nurses chart with in our ER. It can't be a gel pen because they don't transfer through to carbon copies very well. It can't be some crazy style or color because I tend to be very understated and conservative in my style (yup: plain, boring scrubs for me). It can't feel light because I need a good solid pen to write with.
The long-suffering salesman did his best to satisfy my needs, but in the end, nothing lived up to my standards. I realized halfway through that I was being picky about a freaking pen, but that didn't stop me from being picky. It is, after all, the item that I use the most often while working, so I have room to be fussy.
All I want is what I had before. Why do all pens have to suck now?
Oh, and I took care of some sick people and made them feel better and all that stuff...
9 comments:
Loved this post. I OCD on the right pen, too. I used to have this weird superstition that if I wrote in black, my patient would crump (we could write in blue, then). These days, I have to use black, and it MUST be a particular kind of pen. My administrative assistant orders them special for me, and laughs at me, everytime I ask her for a box of my "special" pens. Perk of being the DON, I guess!
I think all nurses are OCD about their pens. On my floor, stealing a pen from someone can end a friendship! ;)
This is one of the few professions where nerdiness pays off. My favorite pen is a Pilot Fine Point, since it makes for legible notes even if I'm rushed. Sharpies are a must for marking EVERYTHING! And you keep a big stash in your locker because you lose a pen a shift if you're not careful!
I would like to point out that Braden also gets mad at me if I dare to use one of "his" pens and has accused me of stealing them all since he can't find any. I'm not a thief!!
-Braden's wife, currently missing him because she's a single mom on vacation-
Nurseexec says: "Perk of being the DON, I guess!"
I say: What? Having your administrative assistant laugh at you?
Ker says: "I'm not a thief!!"
I say: I don't think I've ever called you a thief, sweety. I may have implied it strongly, but I don't think I ever said it. Oh, and by the way, I just ordered 36 pens and 20 refills from the internet. STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!!!!!!
Mojitogirl says: "And you keep a big stash in your locker because you lose a pen a shift if you're not careful!"
I say: Or because your wife can't take them if they are in your locker.
Perk of the DON--I say, "I'd rather have her laughing about a pen, than putting every inane pharmacy rep call through to my office :)"
Mine have to be wide body, fine point, black, and clicky. Rubber grip doesn't bother me too much.
Dude, those quad color click pens are the way to go! What more could you ask for in a pen?!? It's a four-in-one!
no cap here says, "what more could you ask for in a pen?!?"
I say: I don't need to ask that much of my pen. I only need black. I've always loved the four color pen, but when I don't need the extra colors like I did in my carefree youth, I'm not willing to sacrifice the writing quality and pen width to get it.
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