Community Stethoscopes

Published

I was just informed that at some hospitals, there are stethoscopes at every patients bedside that all health care professionals share. It freaks me out! The very thought that I have to put something in my ears that a bunch of other people use turns my stomach. Does anyone else's hospital do this? If so, besides alcohol wipes how would you clean it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

You could wipe it down at the beginning of your shift with those Virex wipes, if your facility has them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Yes, all pts in isolation at all five hospitals where I practice use communal stethoscopes. I always load up my lab coat pockets and alcohol wipe each steth before and after I use them.

Otherwise, I'm with you - ugh!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

IF you have your own can't you just use that and clean between patients

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I was about to say the same...use your own and clean well in between...at least you know it was only you that used it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Apparently at these hospitals, you are not allowed to use your own...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health.

Like others have said...stock up on alcohol wipes @ the beginning of your shift and clean the scopes before using them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

We use them. I guess I don't sweat it a whole lot since I know most of the people pretty well that I work with--and we're by the bedspace the whole day so I know who uses them. I still wipe it down at the beginning of the shift when I'm cleaning the bedspace for infection control, but the idea of sharing doesn't freak me out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

Each of our bedsides has a dedicated stethoscope. At the start of each shift I wipe the scope and everything else with the wipes. In between I use alcohol pads-

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.

Yeah, we do the dedicated stethoscope thing, and we're not allowed to use our own. I wipe it down and it doesn't bother me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion