Doctor stole my stethoscope

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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?

I wrapped a "Make America Great Again!" bumper sticker around mine, and nobody touches it. It's a very, very high quality sticker. The best quality. A lot of people are saying that.

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Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Trauma.
If you know it was stolen by a doctor, walk up to the doctor, and tell them to give you back your stethoscope! I had a good scope walk away .. ONE time. After that I used the Fisher-Price model the hospitals provided. Did not feel the need for a fancy model.

I could hear anything I needed to with them. Pleural effusions, atelectasis and murmurs. Before any flaming begins, I was the go to person for a second opinion on lung sounds, and I had many comments from doctors surprised that I could "appreciate" the lung/ heart sounds I reported.

Love the Fisher-Price reference! LOL! They do look like Fisher-Price toys...the bright yellow ones that come with the isolation carts? And you must have some good ears....I can hear some things better with the crappy ones, but not everything. Age....

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Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Trauma.
Need your name on it, on a big ugly piece of tape.

The problem with some of these suggestions is that you can be setting up a great spot for bacteria to accumulate. Make sure it's disinfectable.

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I have both of my stethoscopes engraved with my name on the bells. I also have a "tile" on it. See the description and my pictures below. I have my tile secured on it in a manner that no doctor will want to try to remove it because they don't have time... unless they are a surgeon and would like the challenge of removing it. But surgeons don't use stethoscopes, they just consult the medical doc!! 😜🙂.

My husband and I have tiles on many of our most commonly "used and losed" items such as keys, my ID badge, his wallet (yes, it fits) and can be put on just about anything like luggage, etc. We love em! Good luck on your next stethoscope!

phone-with-tile-optimized.jpg[h=2]Lose less of everything, including your valuable time.[/h]

Tile is a tiny Bluetooth tracker and easy-to-use app that finds everyday items in seconds—like your phone, keys, and wallet.

imagejpegimagejpeg

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COW = computer on wheels

Although some facilities have changed them to WOWs (workstation on wheels) because patients thought they were being referred to as cows!

Yup! Our facility is supposed to call them WOWs now. I was told a bariatric patient complained to client relations. I guess this is a common accurance. However, everyone still calls them COWs. We are such rebels! The computers on wheels, not the bariatric patients. : )

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I just use isolation stethoscopes for everyone, if the hospital wanted a higher quality assessment they'd provide me with a higher quality stethoscope. I can get enough information with the crappy stethoscope. I'm not spending my own money for my now corporate employer anymore.

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Lesson learned. If I were you, I'd keep my expensive one with me at all times (or at least locked up) and keep a cheaper one as a loaner. Of the loaner doesn't come back then just let ppl know you lost your loaner so you don't have one to lend anymore.

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Specializes in Pedi; Geriatrics; office; Pedi home care..

No, a doctor is not & never will be God.

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Specializes in RN. Med/Surg.

I have mine engraved with my name and it's in my pant's cargo pocket when I'm not using it. It doesn't make much sense not to have it with me, as I'm not always sure when I'll need it.

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Specializes in PCU.

Often a doc will borrow a stethoscope they find laying around, carry it to another floor, realize it's not theirs and just drop it there. So I would start by sending a flyer out to the other floors. I hope you have some identifier on it - that will help in locating it. Good luck. I had one stethoscope for 20 years before it grew legs and walked off. Think the bright purple helped with retention.

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Specializes in PCU.

thanks for sharing, gonna have to look into this "tile" thing

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Nurse Colleague/Patient Relations forum.

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