Why is it the highest paid among us...

anotherone, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

Offering a different perspective--I'm the H.O. covering a busy surgical service.
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?

A surgical doctor, of some sort , listening to patients? You can borrow my stethoscope any time. I work at a teaching facility and there are drs all over the place. I can remember 2 times I was asked to borrow my stetoscope and both of the times the drs where with gen surg. ( with the assemble yourself stethoscope no one has bowel sounds and everyone has diminished lungs). I can understand the covering dr not having a stethoscope on him/her etc. oh well. I am glad when they come down to assess any pt.

kanzi monkey · 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.

Based on the general tone of this thread, I gather that in general nurses get irritated when they ask to have their stethoscope borrowed. I will therefore try harder to find mine or save up to replace it. And I'll buy another clip.

But Wooh, you are totally disrespectful here, assuming I'm unprepared to do my job, that I "mooch" off others, that I "expect" nurses to pay for supplies so that I don't have to. Way to be awesome on a nursing board.

Patti_RN · May 21, 2012

oh, i'm glad you mentioned this! ugh! this is one of those things that really irk me! i have an electronic littman because i couldn't hear subtle heart sounds. the docs would actually seek me and my stethoscope out. i had more than a dozen problems, but the top three were: a doc finished with it and flung it down the counter to me... another doctor 'accidentally' walked off the floor with it (i got it back two days later), and a resident claimed it was 'hospital issue' and said i should just go to the supply room and get myself another!

after all my numerous infuriating problems, i'd go home and conjure up 'what i should have done or said'. i'm not confrontational, so i'd go back in armed with responses ranging from cute to assertive to stinging, but never had the gumption to actually use them when someone asked for my stethoscope. finally, i came up with the best (and most honest) response, "sorry, i bought this because i have a very hard time hearing some faint heart sounds. but, here (handing them a business card) is where you can buy one. trust me, they're expensive, but once you have your own you won't lend yours out, either." after about a month of using that line no one ever asked me again.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · May 21, 2012

What is an H.O?

Patti_RN · May 21, 2012

Something you may want to consider is having your name printed on the stethoscope, itself. I sent mine back to where I purchased it from and they put my name on the tubing. You can also have Littmanns engraved with your name or initials on the head of the stethoscope. It keeps people from 'forgetting' to give it back.

beckster_01, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

I don't mind lending a stethoscope on occasion. Of course, I got a "middle-of-the-line" steth for a reason, it is less likely to grow legs. It isn't too fancy, but it does the job. In general I have a good relationship with the docs that come by, and am willing to give them a hand if they need it.

There is one doctor that I won't lend mine to, and that is because I overheard him comment that "my goal this year is to get through my whole 1st year residency without bringing my stethoscope to work." Very funny. If he asks to borrow my stethoscope then I will magically be about to use it in another room, but will direct him to the store room where we have the fake stethoscopes.

OCNRN63, RN · May 21, 2012

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.

suppose a nurse routinely approached you and asked you for whatever food you had in your pocket. "i didn't have time to get groceries/the cafeteria is too expensive/i didn't have time to pack my lunch, etc. are you going to continue to fork over your food because you want to be collegial?

i don't know if you're a pa/np/md, but the bottom line is you should come to work prepared. if the nursing staff can do it, so can you. be responsible.

CompleteUnknown · May 21, 2012

Off topic I know, but has anyone ever actually developed an ear infection from sharing stethoscopes? We all tend to use the facility stethoscopes where I work and I've never had an ear infection in my life. Most of the doctors who round bring their own but if they hear something interesting, they'll likely grab anyone who is walking past and hand over their stethoscope saying 'hey, listen to this'. No-one seems to think twice about sharing. If a doc doesn't have their own with them, they'll just grab one of the communal ones.

Every now and then someone will replace all the ear buds. It all sounds a bit disgusting now that I write it down but I've never really thought too much about it. We all must have ears of steel.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

two ideas to thwart "borrowers":

you can unscrew the ring holding the diaphragm in place, take it out, and (using reverse writing) put your name on the inside in big letters. anyone who steals it will have to deal with tha, and it can't be alcohol-ed off..

you can attach a pen on a long cord to it, at the chest piece or y. as a boy scout or somebody to make a decorative and functional knot for the purpose. the pen goes in your pocket and is never lost, easy to whip out prn. and the doc that borrows your stethoscope is so annoyed by it that he gives it right back as soon as he's listened.

both of these worked well for me.

@ho who doesn't listen to chests every day? big mistake, bud... your subtle little s3 will be the first pick-up on impending failure, and you can be a hero by catching it. never miss a chance to auscultate a chest.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · May 21, 2012

I've now gotten in the habit when lending something that I point out "it's a boomerang it comes back." I think when your clear about the fact that you intend to see it back it's harder to steal.

chevyv, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

Off topic I know, but has anyone ever actually developed an ear infection from sharing stethoscopes? We all tend to use the facility stethoscopes where I work and I've never had an ear infection in my life. Most of the doctors who round bring their own but if they hear something interesting, they'll likely grab anyone who is walking past and hand over their stethoscope saying 'hey, listen to this'. No-one seems to think twice about sharing. If a doc doesn't have their own with them, they'll just grab one of the communal ones.
I don't get ear infections, but I get painful, what I can only say, is like a blemish. Kills me for days. Doesn't matter who borrows it, after the third boil like nastiness, I flinch and let the doc borrow it, then spend the next 5 minutes scrubbing the heck out of the ear pieces with alcohol wipes. Haven't had that happen in a few years, but I hate borrowing it to anyone.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

assuming I'm unprepared to do my job, that I "mooch" off others, that I "expect" nurses to pay for supplies so that I don't have to.

I'm not assuming you're unprepared to do your job. You don't have the proper supplies. You ARE unprepared.

As for disrespectful not being "awesome" on a nursing board. It's not the hospital. I don't have to be a doormat for the medical staff and bend over backwards to make medical staff happy, even if it means lying and telling them their own rude behavior is just fine.