Doctor stole my stethoscope

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

So, this week hasn't been fun. My lovely Litmann that I received as a Christmas gift has been stolen by a doctor. I've even gone so far as to post fliers around the unit. I know that many nurses have their stethoscope stolen. My thought is "If doctors are stealing our stethoscopes, why are the facilities not paying us for those EXPENSIVE things?" Take it out of their paychecks. Every stethoscope stolen results in money taken from their paychecks. Or make them pool money together to supply us stethoscopes.

Needless to say, I miss my stethoscope. Who else has these problems? How do you track your stethoscope down?

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A hot pink one will stay around longer. At least you will notice it walking out the door. Sorry you lost yours :(. The culprits probably have a stock pile at home if they'd just be considerate enough to bring them back...

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That's a dramatic way to look at it. I just keep mine with me when I'm using it and in my locker when I'm not. I haven't lost one, yet.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

This was the ONE time I forgot my stethoscope.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

Do you know who has it? We have residents who snag ours and we just go up to them and grab it. Did it have a name tag or engraving on it?

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Specializes in EMT since 92, Paramedic since 97, RN and PHRN 2021.

My wife gave me my Littman as a gift and had a small personalized message engraved on the bell. Cannot be removed like a name tag. Thats one idea.

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Specializes in ICU.

Mine is purple. My name is engraved on it. I've left it in rooms on accident or at the nurses station. It's never been stolen yet.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

Do you know for a fact that a doctor stole it? Maybe it just got picked up by a nurse by mistake. I hunted my unit for 2 nights looking for my Littman before someone said "Oh yeah. I noticed you left it here the other night so I put it in this drawer..."

If you're resonably certain a doctor may have picked it up, then I would put up fliers by the oncall room or just start approaching MD's and asking them about it directly. I've also had interns pick mine up thinking it was their's and then realizing it was slightly different and mine afterall. Best of luck.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

I wear mine looped around my neck, most of mine are engraved Sally Carter, RN, RRT

i think permanent engraving a deter ant, and keeping it "up close and personal" :confused:

help....

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

You really believe a physician took it intentionally with the intention of keeping it and not giving it back? Or do you think someone took it to use and forgot to return it? If you know a physician took it, why not just ask him/her for it back? And how did they get it from you in the first place? When it's not in my ears or around my neck, it's locked away. That prevents it from disappearing.

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I painted the metal part with glitter nail polish while in nursing school, still have the same one (among others). I guess it could be removed if someone really wanted to but I don't necessarily think these things are done on purpose most of the time.

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Specializes in PACU.

Mine is engraved too, but I never thought of glitter nail polish!! I love that idea.

I had a pair of bandage scissors that came up missing, had my name engraved on them, 2 years later we get a new DON and as she's going through her new desk she found them. Turns out they were engraved with my maiden name, and she interviewed me right before I got married and knew that name sounded familiar so asked everyone with my first name at the facility until she was able to give them back to me.

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