- Joined
- May 7, 2003
- Messages
- 1,520
- Reaction score
- 25
I'm an ER tech. A peon. A lowly cart-pusher. I do my job well, but it's not like it's rocket science. However, I am headed for greater things. If all goes to plan, I'll be in PA school soon, and out in the big bad world practicing a lil' bit o' medicine before too long.
I'm presently rockin' a perfectly good-for-EMT stuff stethoscope. Heck, now and then at my job, I actually use it, too. But four or six weeks ago, I found a Littman Cardiology III, the same thing every dang resident in the hospital uses. It was hanging in our trauma room; almost certainly, some off-service rotating resident, or someone from a consulting service, left it behind.
I left it where it was, for the first two or three weeks. It happens all the time; once I paged a Neuro guy to come and get his coat. He had no idea where he'd left it. That had a name, though. For this, I figured the owner would re-trace their steps and find it, within a few days or at least two weeks. Nope.
Then I hung it up in the Pit, with a little note. That was two to three weeks ago. It's still there. And now I'm thinking, heck, I'll eventually need something nicer than what I have. Not to mention, surely I'll lose one or more over the course of training. Why can't I just keep this one?
My Midwestern goodness leads me to feel odd about this, so I've been asking around. I rounded up some sources, and here's what they say:
EM Residents: Crap, that looks just like one I lost... but mine had my name engraved. Bummer. We've all lost like three of 'em. There's no right answer.
Other Techs: Considering all the RNs who have lost theirs to rotating off-service weenies, you should keep it. Consider it karma for when one of yours gets "accidentally" lifted.
NYT ethics column: Depends. Is there a written policy? (no.)
Jewish Law: If you find your neighbor's property (or your enemy's), you should return it. If you don't know whose it is, bring it into your own home and take care of it. But be ready to give it back, if the owner shows up.
I'm just one-eigth Jewish, but what I'm thinking is I like that last source's answer. I've done all the due diligence I can, really, beyond e-mailing every department in the hospital and every student who's rotated through.
Opinions? Would it be horrible if I just say "woo-hoo, free Littman?"
I'm presently rockin' a perfectly good-for-EMT stuff stethoscope. Heck, now and then at my job, I actually use it, too. But four or six weeks ago, I found a Littman Cardiology III, the same thing every dang resident in the hospital uses. It was hanging in our trauma room; almost certainly, some off-service rotating resident, or someone from a consulting service, left it behind.
I left it where it was, for the first two or three weeks. It happens all the time; once I paged a Neuro guy to come and get his coat. He had no idea where he'd left it. That had a name, though. For this, I figured the owner would re-trace their steps and find it, within a few days or at least two weeks. Nope.
Then I hung it up in the Pit, with a little note. That was two to three weeks ago. It's still there. And now I'm thinking, heck, I'll eventually need something nicer than what I have. Not to mention, surely I'll lose one or more over the course of training. Why can't I just keep this one?
My Midwestern goodness leads me to feel odd about this, so I've been asking around. I rounded up some sources, and here's what they say:
EM Residents: Crap, that looks just like one I lost... but mine had my name engraved. Bummer. We've all lost like three of 'em. There's no right answer.
Other Techs: Considering all the RNs who have lost theirs to rotating off-service weenies, you should keep it. Consider it karma for when one of yours gets "accidentally" lifted.
NYT ethics column: Depends. Is there a written policy? (no.)
Jewish Law: If you find your neighbor's property (or your enemy's), you should return it. If you don't know whose it is, bring it into your own home and take care of it. But be ready to give it back, if the owner shows up.
I'm just one-eigth Jewish, but what I'm thinking is I like that last source's answer. I've done all the due diligence I can, really, beyond e-mailing every department in the hospital and every student who's rotated through.
Opinions? Would it be horrible if I just say "woo-hoo, free Littman?"
