How to say no when someone asks for your stethoscope?

[emt... rn student]

Hi everyone,I'm a nursing student, and I've been asked a By a couple of people to borrow my stethoscope. I REALLY don't like loaning it out for a couple of reasons. I kind of thinks it's gross, I mean they go in your ears lol. And I'm also afraid it will grow legs and walk away... But as a lowly nursing student i feel awkward refusing these requests. Any suggestions as a good way to say no? Thanks,

[SwansonRN]

Sharing stethoscopes is kind of hospital culture...I mean if you're a nursing student I think that should be something that you should try to get over if possible.

If not, no big deal. Just 1) don't wear your stethoscope around your neck (it's dangerous, acutally, patients can grab at it and pull) so that people won't be quick to ask you and 2) just apologize and say something like, "I'm sorry I don't feel comfortable letting people borrow my stethoscope because of experiences I've had in the past, let me go see if I can get you one from the supply room"

[notpuurfctbtgdenghns]

EEEEEEEEwwwwww just say HELL NO! that is just disgusting! why would you even consider it? eeeeeeeeeeeeeeewww! I don't care about wipes, that's like sharing your underwear...eeeeeeeeeeeeewww:barf02:

man-nurse2b:

what she may mean is the tiny alcohol wipe.

In my years of nursing, I have never lost a stethoscope. Besides, who knows if I let someone else borrow mine, I might need to borrow one in the future!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I always smile and ask them if I can borrow their tooth brush when they are done.......that is usually a deterrent that I'm not crazy about it. I have let people I know borrow my scope, I have clean ear pieces in my locker and switch them

[Palliative Care, DNP]

I say I am sorry no I paid a lot of $ for this and I like to know where it is. You can always you a disposable one for this shift like the kind for contact rooms.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

"No way, I don't loan my stethoscope to anyone!" Too wordy? "NO"

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

I don't think it is a big deal to share your steth as long as you disinfect the ear peices with wipes. What if you need to borrow one someday? Just saying. However, if you feel really uncomfortable just say" I don't loan mine out, sorry" . Keep it simple.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

To me it's a big deal b/c I paid quite a bit for mine while still a student ie: INVESTMENT, LOL. I'm not worried about the germ aspect of it, I'm more concerned about it "growing legs"!!

I don't think it is a big deal to share your steth as long as you disinfect the ear peices with wipes. What if you need to borrow one someday? Just saying. However, if you feel really uncomfortable just say" I don't loan mine out, sorry" . Keep it simple.

[missladyrn]

My charge nurse stole mine! I asked for it back and she said it was hers she bought it. It was a master cardiology and really expensive. It has my name engraved on it. I asked her to let me see it, she refused. She denied it and actually made me start to doubt myself. So I asked our manager to look at it and sure enough, it was mine with my name engraved on it.

She had no explanation for the manager either. She still claims she bought one exactly like it in the same color, not a common color. Can't trust her as far as you can throw her.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

OMG, I'd choke her!!! Mine is a Master Cardiology too, chocolate brown--not common at all. I have my name engraved on the bell, but man is it tiny!!

My charge nurse stole mine! I asked for it back and she said it was hers she bought it. It was a master cardiology and really expensive. It has my name engraved on it. I asked her to let me see it, she refused. She denied it and actually made me start to doubt myself. So I asked our manager to look at it and sure enough, it was mine with my name engraved on it.

She had no explanation for the manager either. She still claims she bought one exactly like it in the same color, not a common color. Can't trust her as far as you can throw her.

[amoLucia]

Where I work we actually have stethoscopes so we don't need to purchase our own.Do most places not have stethoscopes to use?

They tend to walk. I've known visitors to brag about taking BP cuffs & scopes. Esp for Halloween costumes.

Sheesh --- I've had 2 gomco suction units, an O2 concentrator and nebulizers (too numerous to count). Freq in LTC, ther's nobody covering the doors on 3-11. (And nebulizer are not that big that they fit in many big purses or denin/canvas bags.)

Pulse oximeters have disappeared too.I guard mine with my life but I know that they've gone out in the bedding when we've transferred emergencies out in the ambulances.. Of course, they were EVER found .

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

people are going to ask for different reasons. if you want to say no. that is it. they may whine but you either have to stand up for what you want or not. you will get asked a lot of things .... I dont like it either but allow it for the most part and wipe it down. it is easier when you know who took it and can confront them. lol. the times i get asked are rare and usually it is for a very low faint bp ( i have a great one) or by random dr (once or twice an ortho dr on call for the night who happened to be in house in the middle of the night)

[Elladora]

Just say no. No explanation needed.

When I was a student, someone asked one of my peers to borrow his stethoscope. He replied with "Sure! Don't mind the earwax though, for some reason I seem to be making a LOT of it lately!" No one asked to borrow his stethoscope ever again.

As a side note, I have two stethoscopes at work - one that's hot pink and one that is purple. (Everyone else has blue or black). The colors let everyone know they are mine. The hot pink one was on the cheaper side and it's the one I tend to leave laying around. Even if someone does pick it up and "borrow" it, it's easily identifiable as mine. The purple one was NOT cheap and it stays in my locker or around my neck.