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!

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

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

Not sure, probably because the unit is an open one. It is a NICU and the steths are the neonatal ones.

[NurseKittyAtlanta]

If you don't want to write on the tubing directly, wrap a piece of tape around the tubing and write on the tape. That way you won't damage your stethoscope and you can always take the tape off if you later decide you want to have your name engraved.

I remember on my first day of orientation, the security director told us that employee theft was HUGE in this particular hospital, and to never leave anything unattended or unlocked, even for a second. What a shame ..

[babynurselsa, RN]

Just about any jeweler can engrave for you. I had my Littman done at a jewlery store for just a few bucks.

[CHATSDALE]

i have had scissors, seths, la coats gone in a minute

some of these may have been absent-mindedly put in a pocket, but a lab coat on the back of a chair???

[RITA2007]

We have a doctor at my hospital who NEVER brings a stethoscope (he wears a suit and I think he thinks he wouldn't be stylish). He always asks to borrow ours and it's quite annoying because I stand around for a few minutes to make sure I get it back and it holds up my time. But what am I gonna say.. "No?"

Definitely clean the earpieces because I've heard stories of nurse winding up with MRSA in their ears!

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I would definitely say "no." And I have. "No, I'm sorry, but this was double my car payment," and they don't ask twice. If the question is "ooh that's neat, can you show me what it does?" then I'm willing to give a demonstration, and they usually don't like it. No one likes to pick up something that's 18x louder than what you are used to and have your eardrums assaulted by the sound of footsteps at the other end of the hall, static from the patient's toes wiggling against the sheet, etc.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I have learned to keep things of value close to me. I even have a fanny pack to keep my money on me, and it is under my scrubs. I worked in a hospital for many years, and I have seen people get their wallets, cell phones and even PDAs stolen. The head of security told us to get either those ID holders to contain our IDs, money and credit cards, and to keep things like stethoscopes and such in a discretely hidden fanny pack. It saved my life, and reduced fights. And, as sorry as I feel for the physicians at times, I don't loan my stethoscopes to them. They are the worst theives...I heard that one of them even stole one of our endoscopes for their private practice, and I worked with a podiatrist who stole instruments on a regular basis. Once I saw the price of most of the instruments and other things, and compared to what interns get paid, I began to get the picture. Hope you can recover it.

[sunnyjohn]

... And, as sorry as I feel for the physicians at times, I don't loan my stethoscopes to them. They are the worst theives...I heard that one of them even stole one of our endoscopes for their private practice, and I worked with a podiatrist who stole instruments on a regular basis. Once I saw the price of most of the instruments and other things, and compared to what interns get paid, I began to get the picture. Hope you can recover it.

hold up... HE STOLE an endoscope???

[Melody1968]

Give it a little while longer, as soon as you buy one, it will show up. :)

[Melody1968]

I would hope everyone would at least clean it before using. That is just gross. YUCK!!!

[Melody1968]

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.

I would hope everyone would clean it. That is just gross!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

hold up... HE STOLE an endoscope???

Yes, you read it properly. You'd be surprized what the physicians steal in this joint...clippers, retracters, suction machines...you name it