Pens are a nurses best friend and if you’ve ever accidentally taken a nurse’s favorite pen, you know they will track you down to get it back. Today, I highlight 3 of the most popular pens used by nurses.

Everyone who works in a hospital knows that most nurses are extremely possessive of their favorite pens. If you ask to borrow one, you should know that they will be keeping an eye on you until you give it back! This is especially true if the nurse has taken the time to test out multiple pen brands and has finally found their favorite one. These pens are higher quality and also more expensive than your everyday pen, so you shouldn’t be surprised when they ask for it back. I have tried dozens of brands of pens throughout my nursing career and these 3 brands are by far the most popular and best pens for nurses. I’ll highlight the perks of each below.

Pilot G2

The Pilot G2 has been a popular pen for as long as I can remember. According to Pilot, the G2 is America’s #1 selling gel ink pen. And if you’ve ever used a G2 at work or in school, you can immediately tell why. The Pilot G2 has a very smooth rolling feel to it and is a pleasure to write with. It comes in various “sizes”, meaning the size of the pen tip, ranging from 0.5mm to 1mm. I personally prefer the 0.7mm, which Pilot calls the Extra Fine, because I am able to write small when I have to (like labeling a blood tube with the time, date, and initials) without worrying about the writing being too bold or the letters bleeding into each other. Some nurses I’ve worked with prefer the even smaller size of 0.5mm (Ultra Fine), but this is all personal preference. The pilot has a retractable head with a button that clicks nicely. It also features a comfortable rubber grip that feels good in the hand and allows for a solid hold, even while wearing gloves. While Pilot offers various versions of the G2, I stick with the traditional model and usually black, red, or blue ink. But there are definitely more options out there if you want to mix it up and have some fun.

Sharpie S-Gel

The Sharpie S-Gel is a newer pen on the market and one that I just recently started using. But don’t let that fool you, this pen is an absolute pleasure to write with. Like the Pilot G2, Sharpie offers multiple sizes and colors of the S-Gel. I went with my favorite size in the G2, which is 0.7mm. Sharpie offers 3 sizes, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 1mm as well as 3 color options; red, blue, and black. When compared to the G2, there are definitely less options when it comes to color and style (there are no “special” version of the S-Gel, yet). But I will say that the construction of the pen and materials used to make it definitely give it a higher quality feel. The sleek, matte finish on the pen is something seen in much higher priced pens and, in my opinion, just looks better than the G2. The grip is a soft rubber material with small serrations on it, which makes it super easy to keep a good grip on while writing with it. The writing is similar to the G2 in that it is super smooth. It has essentially the same retractable button as the G2 that also has a nice click to it. Since I started using this pen a few weeks ago, I have basically switched to only using the S-Gel at work unless I don’t have it on hand.

Pentel Energel

The Pentel Energel is probably the one pen out of these 3 that you have never used or seen before. I picked up this pen a couple years ago when I found a good deal on them on Amazon and wanted to try something other than the G2. I was pleasantly surprised by this pen and proceeded to buy it in multiple colors and used it almost exclusively for about 2 years. The Energel features the only metal tip out of these 3 options, which gives it a higher quality feel. The body is a partially clear and silver plastic. The grip is a nice rubber with small serrations to help keep a good grip while writing. One thing I like about the Energel compared to the S-Gel is that I know immediately which color I have, whereas with the S-Gel you have to look for the little red circle above the handgrip to tell the difference between the reb, blue, and black pen. The Energel comes in a multitude of colors, so you can spice things up if you are feeling adventurous. The writing quality is very smooth, I would say it is better than the G2 and about equal to the S-Gel. Like the other options, it has a retractable button that provides a similar click as the G2 and S-Gel. One of my favorite things about the Energel, and why I switched from the G2, is how quick that ink dries. With these being gel pens, they all have the chance of smearing if you don’t provide time for the ink to dry before touching it. But the Energel definitely seems to dry faster than the G2 and I have experienced much less smearing than I used to with the G2.

Best Pen for Nurses?

This is a really tough decision and ultimately it will come down to personal preference. In my experience with these 3 popular models, I would have to choose the Sharpie S-Gel as the best pen for nurses. Between the high quality construction, good price, and super smooth writing, it just can’t be beat in my mind. You definitely cannot go wrong with any of these options. While a pen may seem like an inconsequential piece of gear, real nurses know that every little thing can make a difference at work and a good pen is always worth the extra cost and care.

Did I leave off your favorite pen for nurses? Let me know in the comments so I can try it out!

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