Where do you put your stethoscope?

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Just finished my first semester (yeah!) and can't get my last clinical rotation out of my head. My instructor stated that we should keep our steths in our pocket and not around our neck. She claimed that it was unprofessional and only doctors and nurses on TV wear them around the neck. Eventhough I've seen plenty of professional staff with it around their necks, I've tried to comply, but twice ended up knocking the cap off of my markers and ended up ruining my uniforms which are white. Also with all the stuff we're expected to carry around in our pockets, it takes me forever to take out the steth without papers, 4x4s, etc. joining up. So, just wondering what everyone else does.

I put it in my pocket.

My school has a policy that states "To prevent injury to patients, equipment such as stethoscopes and pens are prohibited from being worn dangling from the neck."

That being said, many instructors don't actually care and lots of students do wear their stethoscopes around their necks.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I HATE having that thing around my neck, though I still do it sometimes. I usually flop it over one shoulder with the earpieces hanging down my back and the bell/diaphragm on my chest just below the clavicle.

Unprofessional, though? Such silly nonsense.

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Specializes in Infusion.

Pocket. Took a CNA class last summer at a hospital and they told us where to keep them. Rationale: spreading infections from room to room as well as the strangling prevention. I don't like having things around my neck anyway. I have two big pockets on the scrub top. Stethoscope in one, pens and papers in the other. If you have to do research summaries, maybe look up the research on stethoscopes and carrying infection or getting a nasty hospital infection yourself. Once you graduate, it's your practice.

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I HATE having that thing around my neck, though I still do it sometimes. I usually flop it over one shoulder with the earpieces hanging down my back and the bell/diaphragm on my chest just below the clavicle.

Unprofessional, though? Such silly nonsense.

How do you keep it from sliding off? :confused: I tried it today - the weight of the bell/diaphragm makes it slide off - sooner or later.

steph

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
How do you keep it from sliding off? :confused: I tried it today - the weight of the bell/diaphragm makes it slide off - sooner or later.

steph

Roll of tape on the other side, on the ears. Counterbalance

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Specializes in LTC.

I put mine on my med cart when not in use...If I think I'll need it I'll wear it around my neck into a room.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
How do you keep it from sliding off? :confused: I tried it today - the weight of the bell/diaphragm makes it slide off - sooner or later.

steph

I do have to adjust it on occasion. It's mostly problematic when I lean over. It's not a great solution but, as I said, I *hate* the feeling of that thing around my neck.

These days, I mostly leave it in my gear bag at the nurse's station (something that's probably not feasible for students).

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I do have to adjust it on occasion. It's mostly problematic when I lean over. It's not a great solution but, as I said, I *hate* the feeling of that thing around my neck.

These days, I mostly leave it in my gear bag at the nurse's station (something that's probably not feasible for students).

I don't even notice it when it is around my neck so I'm gonna stay with that. I just had to try it your way. :coollook:

I've left mine in the nurses station too - but then that's when I always end up needed it and have to walk all the way back to get it. Also, there is one doc who never brings his steth and uses whoever leaves one laying around. Of course he always brings it back. :)

steph

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

If the reason given was for safety precaution than I can understand the rationale at least. But unprofessional?? I would love to have the instructor come tell us why. lol

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

I had to reply to this thread because I am a new nursing student. My brand new Fundamentals of Nursing textbook has a huge picture of a "unprofessional" nurse with her stethoscope around her neck :lol2:

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I had to reply to this thread because I am a new nursing student. My brand new Fundamentals of Nursing textbook has a huge picture of a "unprofessional" nurse with her stethoscope around her neck :lol2:

You are kidding . . . . :confused:

Wow.

steph

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.
You are kidding . . . . :confused:

Wow.

steph

No I'm not..You can look at it yourself its fundamentals of nursing by lippinncot williams and wilkins..the author is Taylor its the new edition and it has the same picture on the skills checklist and other stuff

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