tips for holding onto stethescopes at work?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I am taking pre-requisites and plan to start nursing school Fall of 2003. I want to buy a good stethescope (probably Littman), but I have heard about the doctors and other nurses that "borrow" other people's stethescopes and then conveniently forget to return them. Since I am planning on spending a good amount of money on this, I would like to know if any of you have any advice on how you have made sure to hang on to your stethescopes. I do plan on having my name engraved onto it, but just thought I would ask if you all have any other suggestions. I don't want to be rude to the people I will be working with, but I also don't want to have to pay to replace it all the time. Thanks, Kimberly

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by kats

Hi, I am taking pre-requisites and plan to start nursing school Fall of 2003. I want to buy a good stethescope (probably Littman), but I have heard about the doctors and other nurses that "borrow" other people's stethescopes and then conveniently forget to return them. Since I am planning on spending a good amount of money on this, I would like to know if any of you have any advice on how you have made sure to hang on to your stethescopes. I do plan on having my name engraved onto it, but just thought I would ask if you all have any other suggestions. I don't want to be rude to the people I will be working with, but I also don't want to have to pay to replace it all the time. Thanks, Kimberly

Bite the first hand you see grabbing your stethoscope! :( :chuckle I always hated it when a doc would assume my steth was his/her property. Actually, the female docs have never asked to use my steth, nor did they ever attempt to remove it from around my neck. It seems to be a male docs problem, and they need to be told to bring their own equipment to work when they know they are seeing patients, and not to rely on the staff to provide them with the necessary equipment they will need - such as a stethoscope. After having my steth taken a few times, I learned to say "You touch my stethoscope, and I'll bite your hand." I said it with sincerity so no one ever took it again. I own a very expensive Littman stethoscope, and I wasn't about to allow it to be removed from my sight. You do what you gotta do to protect your property. You figure docs make plenty of money to have ten stethoscopes of their own, so make them start using them. Be assertive, and not aggressive, stand your ground, and don't be afraid to say "Sorry, but no you may not borrow my stethoscope. Not now, not ever!" :)

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my reply is a little different. i really don't get along with our lazy a$$ 11-7 nurse i guess because i ask too many questions that she can't answer when getting report .well one day i left my stethascope at work only to find the tubing slit. could not prove she did it.

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Specializes in ICU, nutrition.
I also have held on to my scissors for 12 years-they need to be sharpened desperately.

LOL! You've had the same scissors for 12 years?! When I was in orientation, my preceptor told me I wouldn't be a "real" nurse until I lost my first pair of scissors and hemostats. Guess I'm not "real" yet, as I manage to hunt those puppies down everytime I lend them.

As for lending stethoscopes, the only time I've ever had anyone borrow mine (or borrowed someone else's) is when checking NG placement on a fresh surgical pt or ET placement after intubation. They are handed across to the person checking and handed back immediately. Never leave the sight of the owner. Just last week, the doc handed me his to check placement on an ET tube and I just took them, checked, and handed it back, even though mine was in my pocket. Urgent situation, you know.

Still waiting to be a real nurse!:nurse:

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Mine stays around my neck when I'm not using it and goes in my locked locker at the end of my shift. My name is on it but I have never lent it out --- if I did, I would make sure I remember who has it, and that I get it back before I go home! Good luck in nursing school!!!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Howdy yall

From deep in the heart of texas

Mine stays around my neck, period.

keep it in the short grass yall

teeituptom

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Mine stays right around my neck and like everyone else if someones borrows it , it never leaves my site. The few times that I have noticed it wasn't around my neck panic always sinks in and unless I am doing something critical I quickly retrance my steps to get my baby back where it goes. I did have a problem though with my earpieces falling off. I went crazy one night trying to find my ear piece looking in every room that I had been in (30 rooms) on the floor on my hands and knees. Some nurse had found it earlier and placed it on the med cart. I kept on having problems with them falling off but I made sure the way I had my scope around my neck so tyhe earpiece would end up in my shirt pocket. One day I lost one and never found it but with my new earpieces they never fall off. All that aggravation for a defected earpiece.

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Specializes in L&D, Ambulatory Care.

To those of you who have your stethoscopes engraved, do you have your last name only, or what?

I don't know if I should do this:

M. Montinieri

or this M.Montinieri RN

or this M.Montinieri, RN

or this M.Montinieri, R.N.

OR should I have my first and last name and no RN, or should I have just my last name and RN, or just my last name ALONE??

I know this is silly, but I will have to look at this thing everyday and I'm just wondering how other people had theirs done!

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Originally posted by ERNurse752

Some people don't lend theirs out to anybody...

I'll lend mine (Littman Cardiology III), but I keep close tabs on its whereabouts, and if I see that they're done, I ask for it back.

The tubing of it tends to make my neck red and irritated at times, so I sometimes wear one of those stethescope socks over it, which makes it harder to tell that it's a Littman...incognito, if you will...hehehe ;)

Tricia, I just bought a Littman Cardiology III and will take your advice on the steth cover, thanks. ;)

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Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.
originally posted by melissact

to those of you who have your stethoscopes engraved, do you have your last name only, or what?

i don't know if i should do this:

m. montinieri

or this m.montinieri rn

or this m.montinieri, rn

or this m.montinieri, r.n.

or should i have my first and last name and no rn, or should i have just my last name and rn, or just my last name alone??

i know this is silly, but i will have to look at this thing everyday and i'm just wondering how other people had theirs done!

since your last name is not a "common" one, i would use it and the r.n.
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Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

i keep mine around my neck while at work.

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Don't loan it out and keep it aound your neck. Keep your old one in your bookbag, locker or station drawer and offer it up as a sacrifice if you feel the need.

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please, all be careful...there was a thread awhile ago in which someone posted the warning about (attempted)strangulation by sthoscopeurban myth or reality, who knows, but please....if ya wear it around your neck, be careful how ya do it...

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