Stethoscope Bling?

[chorses4evr]

Hello there,

Quick question for anyone who has already had some clinical experience. I was just accepted to my ADN program for Fall 2015 (yay!) and as a congrats gift my family bought me a stethoscope along with a really cute charm chain that hangs from it. I'm just wondering, are these charms allowed in nursing school/clinicals/hospitals? Being where it is located on the scope, I don't see how it would ever really come in direct contact with a patient but I could see why maybe some facilities would be worried about it not being sterile? Anyone have one of these and does your school/facility allow it?

Thanks!!

[anon456, BSN, RN]

In nursing school you want to be remembered for your advancing skills, but otherwise the best survival is to keep your head down and not attract too much attention.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

O.M.G. I have seen it all now...

I'm going to say they won't allow it. In the beginning of last semester I bought a few of these: CharMED — Home and got chewed out in lab (didn't even take them to clinical) for having them on my stethoscope. The reasoning that was they couldn't be cleaned easily and could spread bacteria.

I will admit I was a little sad that I wasted the money after finding out I couldn't use them.

[Cathylady]

GrnTea I would rather have a diva nurse all blinged up take care of me over a nurse with a holier than thou attitude like yours. You're ridiculous.

Courses4evr, the fact that you have a family that took the time and thought into attaching meaningful charms on your stethoscope gift says a lot about them and you. If you're allowed to use it you should.

[OhioCCRN, MSN, NP]

I think there's more you need to be worrying about than a charm on your stethoscope .

[chorses4evr]

Thank you to those who gave me support and real advice. I plan on checking with my program, if they are fine with it then that's good enough for me. I'm honestly not a flashy person, I rarely even wear any jewelry besides my wedding ring, so I'm not worried about standing out in an unprofessional way. As far as it interfering with my assessments then of course I would remove it, I'm well aware that patient care should be my first and foremost concern.

[chorses4evr]

Thank you for your input, ohioSICUrn, I wish this was my only worry in life...

[amzyRN]

Checking with your program is a good idea. In my opinion, stethoscope charms look kinda tacky and strange, but this is a personal preference.

[CamillusRN, BSN]

I agree with your decision to check with the program. Even then, some of the clinical sites may not allow them. Just a heads up.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

In nursing school you want to be remembered for your advancing skills, but otherwise the best survival is to keep your head down and not attract too much attention.

Sensible advice:yes:

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

GrnTea I would rather have a diva nurse all blinged up take care of me over a nurse with a holier than thou attitude like yours. You're ridiculous.

....

Opinions are like *******s, everyone has one and no ones is more special than anyone elses.

You may not agree with someone, this over the top personal attack is just that

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

Grntea makes a a good point. When using your stethoscope for example in taking a blood pressure on a little old lady with a faint irregular pulse having something around the tubing is just going to make trying to hear the BP alot harder.

And before anyone points out to me that most places use electronic machines. They are notoriously unreliable and being able to take a manual BP is an essential skill. Or how else does one know whether the deviation eg 80/60 is due to the machine or because the patients blood pressure is really crashing

[AlphaM]

Or how else does one know whether the deviation eg 80/60 is due to the machine or because the patients blood pressure is really crashing

Agree, manual BP skills are crucial but other assessment skills such as skin color, capillary refill and level of consciousness would also be helpful in determining if a patient is crashing.