Why is it the highest paid among us...

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · May 21, 2012

can never bring their own *%$# stethoscope when they round on their patients?

If you listen to all the Fox news watchers around here, it's because their taxes are so high they can't afford a stethoscope.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

And why would you direct me to google? Seems a bit presumptuous and condescending since this is an online forum and you don't know me at all. I kind of doubt you'd treat me that way if you worked with me. Not because I'm forbidding in any way, but because I'm a decent person and a good colleague.

A while without a stethoscope? Hmmm, maybe I'll just ask the hospitalist to borrow theirs one night. See how well that would go over. Or I could borrow one of my coworkers', when they're all doing initial assessments at the same time I am, then since we're a respiratory floor and have to actually listen to kids' lungs during the night, that wouldn't go over really well for more than one shift before they'd tell me to buy my own.

You show up asking for a stethoscope multiple times? Yep. I'd tell you to go buy your own. Although, off-line, I'd probably direct you to a specific site to buy it from instead of google. I don't care how decent of a person and good of a colleague you are, you need to come to work prepared.

You're not made of money? Neither are any of the nurses on the floor you're borrowing from. And they manage to show up at work with one.

And the only safe place for my stethoscope during the shift is my locker. If one of my kids starts crumping, I'm not walking all the way to the end of the floor, turning my combination lock 3 times, open my locker, get my stethoscope out, close my locker back, relock it, and THEN go listen to their breath sounds. So yes, it's hanging on my neck giving me a headache all night long or stuffed into my pocket catching on things. Because I come to work prepared.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

If you listen to all the Fox news watchers around here, it's because their taxes are so high they can't afford a stethoscope.

Well, they are creating jobs at the Littman factory. So they should have their taxes cut. Of course, are Littmans made in USA?

kanzi monkey · May 21, 2012

You show up asking for a stethoscope multiple times? Yep. I'd tell you to go buy your own. Although, off-line, I'd probably direct you to a specific site to buy it from instead of google. I don't care how decent of a person and good of a colleague you are, you need to come to work prepared.
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Usually when I'm borrowing a stethoscope I'm evaluating a patient a nurse has called me to see. They are not telling me to buy my own, they are worried about a patient.

I come to work prepared to work with people.

And yes, when I had a stethoscope I would let someone use it if they asked. And when I find mine or buy a new one, I will freely let them use it again as long as I get it back promptly.

And you do care that you have good colleagues more than if they all have their own stethoscopes.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

Actually, MD's receive expensive stethoscopes as gifts from vendors. I don't think too many have to buy their own.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

kanzi, I'm glad that there are nurses covering for you when you come to work unprepared to do your job. If you feel good about mooching off of others. Go for it. But yes, there are people that are resentful that you expect them to spend their money to buy a stethoscope so that you don't have to spend your money. And goodwill only goes so far.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · May 21, 2012

Most of the nurses I work with seem to have no problem with this (I think...?) and I'll be honest, I'm surprised to see how much this is frowned upon by you guys. It really doesn't seem like a big deal and it helps me evaluate a patient quicker.
Any thoughts?

They wish you'd get your own steth, so they won't have to follow you around all day, hoping it doesn't wind up in the back of your van. Most nurses can't afford another $150-$200 for a new, good steth when some knucklehead (not you, necessarily) borrows it and doesn't return it (aka steals it).

I "lost" my brand new Cardiology 3 not two months after going to work as a nurse, and my butt is still chapped over it. I should have listened to my wife, who warned me to never loan it to anyone, and to never leave it laying at the bedside.

BearishBob · May 21, 2012

This very thing would happen to me all the time. I don't mind loaning out my stet every once in a while, but it becomes very trying if you become a repeat offender. I liken it to borrowing a cup of sugar from your neighbor. Do it once, you might together have a good laugh over it. Do it everyday for six months and see what happens.

When I worked at a rural hospital, we had an oncology doc who always borrowed my stet. This went on for six months until I finally told him no, and offered him an isolation stet. His reaction was beyond catastrophic. It was like telling a two year old 'no'. In the end, I recieved a written warning.

My solution has been to never bring any of my own supplies to work. When I come on shift I get a new iso stet, a pair of clamps, and dressing shears from the supply closet. If a doc asks to borrow any of these, I just tell them to keep it, and I go get another one. Docs happy. Im happy. Everybody happy. Well, except for the supplies budget.

OCNRN63, RN · May 21, 2012

when i worked in peds., i had a pediatrician steal my pediatric scope. that really burned me, but because i didn't actually see him take it, i couldn't do anything about it.

OCNRN63, RN · May 21, 2012

i love the ear infection comment! lol. we are a tiny facility, so i try to foster a team approach. but i had to save for months to afford my littmann master cardiology.
every once in a while is certainly acceptable, and i can absolutely overlook (and clean the heck out of it when it's returned). but we have several physicians that seem to believe the nurses, and any equipment that we possess, are there simply to supply them. i can honestly say that i have never seen them bring their own stethoscope, scissors, pen light, whatever. so, recently i just stopped saying yes. when i was asked if he could use my steth, i provided him with one of the disposables from the isolation kit. he said, "no, i mean your stethoscope." so i told him no. and i was counseled about being "unnecessarily uncooperative". so, i am probably more ****** about it than i should be, and dwelling more than i should be, lol. but its aggravating!

you were counseled on it? how ridiculous.

anotherone, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

If it is any type of surgery patient ( urology, ent, plastics, ortho gyn), even general surgery forget it. I am trilled when they asked for a stethoscope. 1/6 has one . and the rest don't seem to use them, i gather. lungs clear,and bowel sounds present for all.

I also get grossed out beyond belief that now i am expected to stick it back in my ears so I wipe them off a couple times with wipes . too apssive aggresive to say no. ugh I suscpect at my facility if you said no to any of the precious drs you woudl also be counceled maybe have to go to some sort of class . if you said no to a nurse that nurse would prob be told to just use a disposable one. lol

OCNRN63, RN · May 21, 2012

Offering a different perspective--I'm the H.O. covering a busy surgical service. I have patients in 3 different buildings, the pacu, occasionally the ED. I have a coat with pockets that's full of my phone, pen/highlighter/sharpie, folder carrying about 15 pages of patient info, shears, sometimes dressing supplies (if there are a lot to change and I have a pt on a medicine or cards floor where there is a paucity of surgical supplies). I have a penlight attached to my ID around my neck. My pager is on my hip. I hope i have my chapstick, business cards, and a compact snack of some kind. I had a clip for my stethescope which I sadly lost. Then I promptly lost my steth
It was expensive and I'm in mourning. That being said, the clip worked ok but it pinched my hip sometimes. In my pocket my steth would get caught on everything, frequently. Around my neck could be ok sometimes, but would get stuck on my penlight and sometimes just feel heavy and uncomfortable. Also, I developed a rash after putting it on too quickly after using cleaner on it, which I do many times a day.
I have to say, while I miss my stethescope and plan to replace it, it's always nice when a nurse lends me one. Most of the nurses I work with seem to have no problem with this (I think...?) and I'll be honest, I'm surprised to see how much this is frowned upon by you guys. It really doesn't seem like a big deal and it helps me evaluate a patient quicker.
Granted, I don't listen to all of my patients' lungs/heart every day. Usually I do when they are postop, and always with status change.
And if there is status change I want a good listen, and those crappy tinker toys are only helpful on anatomically average people with no pathology (most of the time). And nurses usually have nicer stethescopes. I usually clean them off, will say if I don't, and will always return.
But now I feel like a dweeb, especially if the nurses are really hating me under their breath (though this I doubt since most seem to be pretty good at expressing hatred to my face--when I deserve it)...
Any thoughts?

It's frowned upon because: 1) we need them for our patient care; 2) not very hygienic; and 3) I know many nurses whose stethoscopes have "disappeared" after being lent to physicians.

Find another spot for your penlight and wear it around your neck. If it's too heavy, then just get a cheap one. Most nurses manage to wear theirs around their necks, and so can you. Why should I hand over a 'scope that cost me around $180 if there's a high likelihood I won't see it again?

It's your responsibility to come to work prepared and it's inappropriate to assume you can just mooch off the nursing staff. As I said in a PP, I had a good ped. scope stolen from me by a doc, and I had another try to abscond with my Master Cardiology III. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.