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?

[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.

[Garden,RN, ASN, RN]

Thanks.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

I am very protective of my stethoscope, for that reason and because i want to keep mine clean. If you know who it may have been I would ask. it is possible that someone accidently took it and you may recuperate it. It also is possible anyone, including a patient could have taken it.

I give mine a bath at least once a week. It sleeps in a crate at night and because I'm an excessively oily person never sling it around my neck. You MUST read the very informative and important nursing studies done on that very subject.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

If you know it was stolen by a doctor, walk up to the doctor, and tell them to give you back your stethoscope!

This. Good night...if you know it was stolen, then presumably you know who stole it. Why are you allowing them to keep it?

[DeeAngel]

Buy a small bluetooth tracker, attach it to the stethoscope and tracks it down with the help of your phone. h**ps://www.thetileapp.com/how-it-works

[Ackeem, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I was accused of this once, most awkward conversation i ever had

[Cola89]

Cute. Is it going to come back with a call me, baby # attached?

[BSN16]

I was accused of this once, most awkward conversation i ever had

Me too from another nurse while i was still in school. Came up to me asked if the stethoscope i was wearing was mine. I said yes...then she proceeded to ask me if i was sure it was mine. Thankfully it was engraved lol

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

It degrades the material due to the oils from skin.

While that is true, it takes years to warp the tubing and the sound quality is intact. The best reason not to wear it around your neck is the easy access for docs bent on pinching your scope and the remote possibility that a patient or family member may try to strangle you with it.

[Nerd eNurse, ADN]

Make out an incident report and ask security to check the security camera files if there were any.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

It's YOURS. Do with it what you want!

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

[sevensonnets]

I've had one stethoscope walk off around a doctor's neck but I chased him all the way to the elevator and got it back. He was also notorious for stealing pens so at Christmas we would buy him a 12-pack and have to replace it by Valentine's Day. Kept it in a drawer at the desk so he'd have to ask for a one. Also had a doc that would swipe reading glasses if the opportunity arose!