sharing stethoscopes?

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hi,

I'm taking a health assessment class and its required that we have are stethoscopes by this wednesday. the thing is that I ordered mines online and its due to come to my house by wednesday (while I'm at the class). I was wondering if there is something wrong with sharing a stethoscope with another person (germwise).

thanks in advance.

Specializes in Emergency.
hi,

I'm taking a health assessment class and its required that we have are stethoscopes by this wednesday. the thing is that I ordered mines online and its due to come to my house by wednesday (while I'm at the class). I was wondering if there is something wrong with sharing a stethoscope with another person (germwise).

thanks in advance.

Not at all, wipe it down between not only users but patients as well and it should be fine.

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I shared mine and was in a hurry to asses a patient and forgot to swipe the ear piece and that ended up in me getting acute otitis media and from there i become very carefull to whom i gave my stethoscope to and become a germ freak for a while hahaha !!!

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

How do all these people get INNER ear infections from putting a stethoscope into their OUTER ear?

I could understand getting something like a "swimmer's ear" infection, but not otitis media.... ???

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
How do all these people get INNER ear infections from putting a stethoscope into their OUTER ear?

I could understand getting something like a "swimmer's ear" infection, but not otitis media.... ???

You are right BrilloHead.....otitis externa.

Otitis externa is an infection of the external auditory canal. Prompt diagnosis and treatment cures the majority of cases without complication. However, patients who are diabetic, immunocompromised, or untreated may develop malignant otitis externa, a potentially life-threatening infection.

Medscape: Medscape Access requires registration but it is free.....LOVE medscape.

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