When did wearing a stethoscope become popular

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I have heard the wearing a stethoscope around your neck damages the tubing because of the oils in your skin. So when did wearing a stethoscope around the neck become popular? I know as nursing students we all do it because we want everyone to know were in nursing school and we think it looks cool. I see some nurses wearing their's around their neck and some just leave it somewhere.

Specializes in Nursing Assistant.

That's awesome :)

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

question: What does the height of your socks have to do with preventing infections?

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No! The dang MD's always want to borrow mine on rounds, grrrrr @ that. His ear wax and patients germs UGH. He certainly didn't clean it between pt's. I got to where I hid mine b4 Doc came in and said "ohhh sorry doc I forgot mine today, don't know where it is etc. He would grumble for a minute and go find a disposable one. :w00t:

I had a doc who did this ALL the time! I started handing him alcohol wipes with my stethoscope! LOL He eventually got the clue. Once, he thought he was being funny and tied my Littmann Cardiology III in KNOTS! Grrr. I was NOT a happy camper after that one! I don't share it anymore!

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I put mine in my pocket, it gets in way when when doing pt cares. although we are not required to wear it a certain way, we were also told that putting it in your pocket was like a safety issue in case combative (or other) pts yanked on it etc

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I realize that this thread sounds kind of weird, but it was a true question. The only reason I said something about it being "cool" was because one of my instructors said that she would hang her stethoscope on her rear view mirror when she was in nursing school because she wanted everyone to know she was in nursing school and she thought it was "cool" or something. I was just wanting to know why some people wear them around their neck even though the oils in your neck will ruin the tubing.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I wear mine around my neck at clinic but with a collared shirt on it never actually touches skin.

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socks must be calf-height or higher (and yes, she did check!) hair off collar... stethoscopes were to be carried in our pocket not around our neck.

Seriously. If I were forced to wear socks that extended beyond my ankle I would likely go insane.

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Yep. We had to wear ours at clinicals.

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the proper way to keep them with you is supposed to be in one of your pockets to be safe, hidden, and not exposed to atmosphere so much. its just that the media made the stethoscope around neck really popular even though its dangerous. those annoying hospital drama tv shows.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I have too much junk in my pockets, especially since they took the majority of the supplies out of our rooms, to put my steth in. Been wearing it on my neck for years, not to be "cool" (seriously?), but because it is convenient. Never had a problem with "neck oils". It stays in my locker between shifts. The mirror thing? Dang thing would swing so much it would be whacking me in the head while going around curves!

Never had a pt grab for it, but if going into a situation where we are holding someone down I take it off ahead of time. I work in an ER, and there are plenty of times where things have gotten physical, but the scope has not been what they were thinking of, generally it is being spit on, bitten or swung at.

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I put mine in my pocket. Something about it getting all close and personal with a pt then being around my neck (even after I wipe it) creeps me out. Also being in my pocket makes for a nice ice breaker when I walk in the room for introductions and am yanked back because it is stuck on the door knob, bed, ect...

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I can't believe I'm the first person in seven pages /LOLing at all the judgey people!

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