Doctor stole my stethoscope

[ayejay09]

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?

[NotYourMamasRN]

At the risk here of losing all my dignity for asking this question, is a COW something really obvious that I do not know about on a floor, or was it a real moo moo cow. I have been out of inpatient care for several years.

Lol! Computer On Wheels.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

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.

This happened to me. So as Yogi once said "deja vu all over again". The problem with nailing the doctor for the theft is that although 99% of your suspicions tell you he's the crook, there's still that 1% of cognitive dissonance that says "for crying out loud, he's a doctor not a two-bit second story man!" But maybe a crook nonetheless.

[Garden,RN, ASN, RN]

Thank you, even though this isn't facebook, lol at myself.

[kicker0927]

If you know for a fact the doctor took it, next time you see them just ask him if he still has it. If you don't see him often, go to your supervisor or HR and ask them to help you contact him to retrieve it. Or you can always request the hospital pay for a replacement considering the doctor is technically their employee so they are responsible for the property coming up missing.

[NOADLS]

considering the doctor is technically their employee

Not in every circumstance. It is possible for the doctor to be contracted (see: agency).

[kicker0927]

Would still be contracted by the hospital=liable

[WinterLilac]

You know the wrist bands patients get when they are admitted? I wrote my first name on the name bit in big letters and wrapped that around the middle of my stethoscope. No doctor has pinched it since

[Mhsrnbsn]

I have an ultrascope, most physicians aren't fond of the idea of taking home a glittery stethoscope with a moon on it. I enjoy the sound quality I have as well but it isn't for everyone and it was only 90.00 when I bought it. Have had it almost 10 years! Even when I leave it behind its there when I come back mines too obvious to keep and play off like your own.

[Darchangel]

I'd go with the engraving but we were always taught NOT to loop it around our necks...

[Garden,RN, ASN, RN]

Why not looping around the neck?

[kakamegamama]

How do you know a doctor stole it?

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

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.