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 would keep mine in my cargo pocket. If the doc wanted to borrow it, i would follow him in the room and when he was done, hold out my hand and ask for it back. Sometimes i would get the "what? You dont think i am going to give it back?" Nope...i dont. :)

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My stethoscope has been 'permanently borrowed' multiple times, both with bell engraving and without. So, for the past year I have found that people are less prone to borrow if I make it stand out with flashy duct tape (the glittery type that you can purchase at any arts and craft store). It's not permanent, but it does work. I do like the suggestion of glitter nail polish too.

I know this doesn't solve the current situation but it will help you maintain ownership of your next littman.

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I bought a raspberry color Littman which was rare on the med-surg floor and I used indelible ink to put my name on it. Alcohol blurred it over time but the indelible ink literally melded into the tubing and is legible today (10 yrs). Anytime my stethoscope was 'borrowed' I would say - make sure you remember where it lives and that it lives clean. Meaning wipe it down and clean your ear wax out of the earbuds. It was rarely borrowed because all knew how particular I was about it (even ribbed me over it) but I did chase it down on more than one occasion and always knew who had it so that they could receive a bill for the replacement if needed.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
I'm not sure stealing someone's stethoscope is an act of malice. I doubt anyone goes out of their way to steal FutureFatMans stethoscope. But physicians have the nasty habit of picking up stethoscopes to use, usually without asking and sometimes asking only AFTER they've plucked it off your neck, and then walking off with them. They don't really care whose stethoscope it is; they just care that they don't have one with them, and the one they just lifted will be handy to them for the rest of their day. They don't usually care whose it is, but they do know it isn't theirs.

Stealing is the act of taking something that doesn't belong to you, so yes it is stealing. I've caught physicians in the act of scarfing down my lunch on several different occasions. They knew it wasn't their lunch, that it belonged to someone else, but they were hungry and the lunch that their department provided for them was on another floor so they just ate someone else's lunch. I've seen them scavenging through the staff refrigerator . . . And sent them on their way. More than once, I've seen doctors who came in to work yesterday when it was warm lift a coat from the staff locker room to wear home because it's cold today. Again, they know it isn't their coat, that someone else may be cold on the way home because of their actions; they just don't care. I don't understand it. My friend, a physician himself, says his colleagues just laugh about it. "Ah yeah, that's a nice North Face jacket; maybe I'll keep it."

Property does get stolen -- taken by folks who know it doesn't belong to them == and the majority of time if you every find out who took it, it's a physician.

From reading this poster's other "contributions" it would seem he is a med student. That sorta puts it in perspective.

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Computer On Wheels = COW

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What's the difference between God and a Doctor?

God is not a Doctor.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
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?

Well since doctors don't get paid by hospital they can hardly take it out of their pay can they!

I have a very good Littman that I have carried for 17 years. It never leaves my person though I was quite careless with it at first. Did you know that Littman offers free engraving on every scope it sells. Doctors don't usually like my scope because it has a short length but one time I did find it around a doctor's neck and I said "Doctor I think you have my stethoscope?" The Doctor replied "I don't see your name on it!" "Well let's take a look" I said and there it was my name engraved on it. Guess I schooled the Doctor that day. :roflmao:

Hppy

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I put a tag with my name on it. And I never loan it out..

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My Littmann III lives in my pocket when I'm on the floor. At school it's in it's case (ballistics case - gotta love them!), or around my neck. It's also engraved. I lost my first L-II for a few years, but it had just fallen behind a bookshelf at home...

This morning on the floor one of the senior RNs tried to lift it out of my pocket, and she got an earful! She had left her own at the desk, and we were in an iso room, so she didn't want to get out of her gear, go down the hall, then gear up again. Too.Bad. Mine is mine, and I don't share.

You took your precious Littmann into an isolation room?

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I customized my name in the stethoscope, it was never stolen.

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smart

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

I've been in your shoes. A long time ago a first year resident forgot to bring his stethoscope. He borrowed my Sprague Rappaport. It was also a gift. I posted fliers all over the hospital. He even showed up on Rounds with it. I reported the situation to my charge & head nurse. I finally had enough of "waiting" on him to give it back. With a witness I presented him with a "rental or you've bought bill; in front of the attending and other residents.

I got my stethoscope back instantly. The next day I went and got my name put on it permanently. And, a very bright tubing.

A few days later the attending came and asked me how long the resident had my "ears". It had been about 2 weeks. The attending made that 1st year resident pay me $10.00 per day (I was only going to change him $2.00 per day) rental; as a lesson to ALL the residents and med students .

It then became his policy that unless it was a code situation; Do Not borrow nurses stethoscopes.

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