Is theft a problem in your hospital?

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I was just perusing the PDA thread, and again, the issue of theft arose. I've read this before, in threads on stethoscopes and elsewhere.

This floors me, because I have not encountered this at all, in over a year & a half of clinicals, in 4 different hospitals and too many other provider's offices and community agencies to count. Most of the nurses stations I've encountered seem to have a designated doorknob or other spot where everyone parks their steths.

I do keep my PDA on me, but that's primarily because my hubby bought me this cool hard case with a belt clippy thing on it, not because I have any significant fear about it walking away.

Is this a problem where you are? Who takes the stuff?

[z's playa]

No problem with the nurses or staff too much. Mostly things like kleenex from time to time Its the patients that are robbed by other wandering pts. At least 2x a day.

[LPNer]

Sad but yes, nothing major that I've ever been subject of but darn, it's reallyl annoying when a co-worker(s) helps themselves to your lunch!

I work 2 12s and 2 8s a week. Twice, while working 12s someone on the evening shift decided somebody wasn't going to get to their lunch and decided to help themselves to mine!

Though no one actually stated "this is the person who took your lunch" or "I took your lunch" one nurse stated, it was already after 10, I didn't think anybody would want it. DAH. I wouldn't have brought it if I didn't want it you ninny!

There have been reports from other floors/offices of purses being ransacked or down right taken, but I have never been subjected to that.

There seems to be theives everywhere, sad, isn't it.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

The problem doesnt arise from other nurses walking off with stethescopes,, usually they are hoisted by Dr's who dont bring their own,, need one for a min, and walk away with them, never to return them because they cant remember where they picked it up.

The docs run off with or lay down our ottoscope heads all the time. We sometimes never find them.

I dont really think its theft, although patients like to lay claim to flashlights used in their rooms, its ease of use and convienence that make things dissappear.

HOwever,, i do wonder who runs off with all the Tp from the bathrooms. GEEEZZZZ

[mariedoreen]

Oh well no actual stories of theft that I ever heard BUT when you're walking into clinical with a stethoscope and a PDA that are worth hundreds of dollars do you really want to take the chance that they're going to "disappear" ?? I can't afford that kind of mistake at all.

[grentea]

All of the students in my program have PDAs and I don't personally know of anyone who had their PDA stolen, but that's probably because we guard them VERY carefully. I've heard all sorts of stories about PDAs being stolen in the past so I never, ever let it out of my sight. Since I'm required to have it at clinical, I'm thinking about getting an insurance policy for it.

[jenrninmi, MSN, RN]

This is a bad situation...no, I haven't had any problems.

[angelac1978]

we have had a problem with theft when students rotate through surgery. There is a designated locker in the dressing room that is for student use and a couple of times, students' wallets, watches and other valuables have been taken. Since then, we are not supposed to take any of that in to the dressing room with us, we are supposed to use the lockers in our clinic classroom.

A

[RedSox33RN]

Both hospitals I've done clinical at, we were told in no uncertain terms NOT to bring anything of value that we couldn't keep on our person. No wallets/credit cards needed during the day - leave it all in your car. And to put it in the trunk, not on the seat or under a coat (as was my usual). OUT OF SIGHT. Too many cars broken into.

We did have a place to store our backpacks (you know, alllllll that paperwork and stuff for post-conference!), but nothing ever happened.

I kept my PDA on me at all times too. My pockets did get heavy from time-to-time with all of my "stuff" I had to carry (I'm diabetic, so needed glucose and glucometer at all times), but next rotations I'm going to see if I can do a small fanny pack.

[RedSox33RN]

Actually, I should add that the second hospital was great, and had actual locking lockers for the nurses and aides.

It's terrible to think of pt's being ripped off.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

trust me, theft can be a problem. stethescopes are one thing -- usually it's the physicians borrowing them (usually without asking) and forgetting to return them. i don't think they mean to steal from the nursing staff, but that's the end result. i don't keep mine around my neck anymore -- too easy for someone to just lift it off, and they usually become unfriendly when you turn and snatch it back!:chuckle

[color=#4b0082]i've had lunches disappear from the staff refrigerator, even one time from the nurse's desk. i had been downstairs to buy my lunch but when i got back upstairs, my patient was coding and the new grad watching him was in over her head. i sat my lunch down at the desk and went into the code. when i came out, one of the residents was calmly finishing my lunch!!!! by then, the cafeteria was closed and there was no place else for me to buy something to eat. i read that guy the riot act, and told him that he could go out and replace my lunch -- not easy to do late at night! he did . . . apologized profusely and frequently, too.

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]wallets -- now that's a problem. either use a teeny, tiny wallet that you can keep in your pocket or lock it in a locker. i used to hang my purse on a hook inside my patient's room. if i had two patients, i picked the one with the cleanest, most middle-class looking family (and sometimes that was really difficult.:uhoh21: ) i came into my patient's room from the med room one time, and his daughter (sitting proudly in my chair in front of the computer) said "i see you're reading nevada barr."

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]"whaaatt?" i asked, dumbfounded.

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]"that's your purse hanging there isn't it?"

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]i acknowleged that it was indeed my purse.

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]"well, i thought i might find a bible in there, so i looked."

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]i was so angry i couldn't even speak. i snatched my purse off the hook and ran into the break room, which was full of residents. i told them the whole story, venting, and the patient's resident got up went into his room, and told the patient's daughter that she was way out of line and that she needed to apologize to me. she did apologize, but i couldn't take care of that patient again. worse, i wasn't sure if she had taken any money (didn't know exactly how much i had), and i watched my credit card statements really closely. after that, i bought a teeny, tiny wallet and kept it in my pocket all the time.

[color=#4b0082]

[color=#4b0082]ruby

[mariedoreen]

[color=#4b0082] i used to hang my purse on a hook inside my patient's room. if i had two patients, i picked the one with the cleanest, most middle-class looking family (and sometimes that was really difficult.:uhoh21: ) i came into my patient's room from the med room one time, and his daughter (sitting proudly in my chair in front of the computer) said "i see you're reading nevada barr."

i don't get it. you hang your personal belongings in patient rooms??