I never thought...

[gracie05]

...that I would have to worry about someone stealing my stethoscope!!! I worked at another campus of my hospital (same unit, ICU) a couple of weeks ago and put my stethoscope on the counter where I was sitting...got up for a moment and a doc took my chair (which is annoying) and totally forgot about it. It was almost time to go home, so all my assessments were done for the night...I did not realize I left it there until 2 days later when I went to assess a patient. I immediately called over there and no one had seen it...of course. I asked so many people, and went back over there to look, but alas, it was not there. The most annoying thing to me is that I did not have my name on it:selfbonk: This stethoscope was a graduation gift from my parents, so it is extra sad. I hope whoever has it, is enjoying it and really really needed it.

Thanks...needed to vent!

[Drysolong]

My stethoscope rarely leaves my neck at work. Sometimes other nurses borrow it, but always give it back or I ask for it after an hour or so.

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

I once had my lab coat stolen at work. A year later, I found it in a heap of coats thrown on the couch in the breakroom - this is what day shift often does with their coats each day. So I knew it was someone from that shift that took it. My name was still on the tag inside the coat, and my mom had hemmed the coat just to fit me - I'm 4'10" and have very short arms. So someone wore this coat for a year that couldn't have possibly fit them very well, with someone else's name inside it, KNOWING full well that they weren't the one that bought it. How can these people live with themselves???

[gracie05]

I worked at the campus that my stethoscope was last seen and...SOMEONE FOUND IT...miraculously it was found on a cabinet behind some bowls...don't ask me...perhaps someone attempted to take it and felt guilty...I don't care, it is mine again! Thanks for all your support and comments!:balloons:

[DolphinRN84, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Yay!! I'm so glad you were able to get your stethoscope back! :)

[babynurselsa, RN]

Mine came up missing a few months ago at a hospital where I do ER. I searched, begged, whine. IT DID have my name engraved on even. About 2 months later it was found in a drawer in the ICU. I guess it sprouted little legs and got on the elevator and walked up there

[jade-athyst]

Gracie, I'm so glad you got it back. It's horrible when you lose something sentimental. Now go out and get it engraved as a Christmas present to yourself. :)

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

A resident doc who was moonlighting about 75 mi away from the hospital found one of mine (engraved) in the ER there.

It had apparently grown feet and hugged the neck of a previous year's moonlighter. I was happy to get it back, but from then on I would ask a doc or anyone else for their ID card before lending one. And I NEVER lent my Littman, only the cheepo Fisher-Price kind.

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I just let it be known how much I paid for mine. People who know me know that I can't work without it. It's electronic, and I paid almost $500 for it, and can't hear squat without it. The couple of times I've left it, my coworkers have watched out for me.

Actually the people I work with are, for the most part, wonderful about scopes. I know we try to return them and remind each other about them. Now if we could just keep up with the pulse ox's.

[youngatheart]

I have had my stethescope 4 years during nursing school I went to several different hospitals and never lost it . I now have been working since July (since getting my RN degree) I accidentally left my stethescope on the counter (it was $110.00) a littman 11 cardiac one. and it was gone. I was so upset I left a notice around the nursing station stating it was lost and if accidentally taken please return. I have yet to see it (over a week now) I should have put my name or some other kind of Identifier on it, as I see alot of other people walking around with the same stethescope I always wonder if it is mine. Now I have to get a new one what a bite.

[truern]

You can get the earpieces engraved at Things Remembered at the mall.

I ordered mine with my name engraved and have a name tag on it as well. Sad thing about the engraving: you have to look pretty closely to see it

I wonder if writing with a Sharpie on the tubing will damage it somehow??

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I am a fresh new grad, as of yesterday. After reading this thread I am thankful that I don't need to bring my own steth to work on the unit I am going to work on. Each patient has their own Littman Steth at the bedside, they get sterilized when the patients get discharged. I usually clean it with alcohol when I do the first assessment because who knows when the last time it was cleaned.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

What keeps the lIttmans from growing legs? Even the cheapest are over $35.