When did wearing a stethoscope become popular

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I have heard the wearing a stethoscope around your neck damages the tubing because of the oils in your skin. So when did wearing a stethoscope around the neck become popular? I know as nursing students we all do it because we want everyone to know were in nursing school and we think it looks cool. I see some nurses wearing their's around their neck and some just leave it somewhere.

I think they used MDF stethoscopes on Scrubs and House.

In episode 53 of Scrubs, "Dr. Kelso goes temporarily deaf after using cheap stethoscopes."

I just watched the rerun of that one yesterday! Love Netflix!!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

most wear them to keep up with them. PLEASE clean them between patients!!!

My grandmother was a nurse at a time when nurses were not allowed to wear a stethoscope. It was considered rude since only MD's should be wearing them!

Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

For me it is also the connivence. Plus, the clip that you can wear is uncomfortable to me. I had also heard that the oils from your skin could crack the tubing, but I try to wipe it down periodically during a shift to help that and I always wipe my bell area for the sake of germs.

Many nurses I know said they have always worn their scopes around their necks and they lasted for years, some said they still are using that same scope.

I believe you can buy replacement Littman tubing, and it's not very expensive, even for their high-end 'scopes. I presume other companies sell tubing for theirs as well.

most wear them to keep up with them. PLEASE clean them between patients!!!

My grandmother was a nurse at a time when nurses were not allowed to wear a stethoscope. It was considered rude since only MD's should be wearing them!

Back then where did the MDs get their stethoscopes if not from the nurses? :)

Specializes in Med-Swing/Rehab.
So when did wearing a stethoscope around the neck become popular?

Maybe when nursing came around as it is a necessity for the job. Maybe nurses started wearing them around their necks because their pockets are too full of other stuff. n_n

Specializes in School Nursing.

I usually put mine in my pocket.

I usually keep mine in my thigh pocket. I tried wearing it around my neck, but it was always slipping off :/ I have a cover as well, 3 actually, and use a different one per clinical and wash them, same as my scrubs. i also clean the other parts that aren't covered between patients.

Specializes in Ambulatory Surgery, Ophthalmology, Tele.

There is one doctor that comes in daily to our unit and he wears his steth draped/hanging over one shoulder. Imagine if we tried to do this as we ran around like crazy fools. :bugeyes: Wooh, love the uniform accessory description. :up: especially the box of gloves taped to your butt. Can we add one of those "take a number" machines to our left sleeve? Now serving numer 3,456,522. (I feel like McDonalds) It would be great. I wish when the patient's call light is going off, a family member wants an update, and the doctor wants to talk to me at the front desk (while I am in an isolation room giving meds by peg tube or pushing dilaudid sloooowly) I can say "take a number please." :D Wouldn't that be handy? And the doctors would LOVE it, right?

Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.

I wear mine around my neck to ensure it doesn't pick up feet and walk off!

Specializes in LTAC, ICU, ER, Informatics.

I actually have cargo pants that have a dedicated pocket for my steth, but I've not figured out how to put the darned thing in so that it doesn't catch on absolutely EVERYTHING. So most of the time it's around my neck. However, I'm a little bit retentive in that I wipe down all my personal stuff that made contact with the patient right after I leave his/her room. If I don't have a cleaning wipe handy, I will do it with alcohol. I also wipe my pens down periodically through the day. A little obsessive, probably, but...

As for the wearing it everywhere else, back in the day when I was a Paramedic, we had a term for them - "Ronnie Re-acts". Those were the students or newly minted EMTs & Paramedics who carried a hip kit with enough equipment to perform surgery ("Brain Trays") and wanted everyone in the world to know that they are EMT/Ps. And yes, I was one. And I have to recommend that anyone wanting preferential treatment from law enforcement just get some sort of sticker for the back of their car indicating their status - I ruined a fairly expensive amplifying steth by hanging it over my rear view in the Texas heat because I thought it was "cool".

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

I wear it in a hip-clip fastened to my waistband, but I slide it around to the back of me so it's not hanging off the side of my hip to catch on doorknobs and such as I walk by.

As for preferential treatment from police, just get a personalized license plate for my car and keep your steth safe somewhere else. :D

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