The Stethoscope Vanishes

[Febrifuge]

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I set it down on the cover of a laundry bin, and went in to a room to help lift a patient. It wasn't there when I remembered to look for it, about an hour later. I imagine this happens in the ED more than it does in your typical clinic or Medicine floor, and the group might share some coping skills.

I'm not giving up hope; it could appear in the break room, the Pit, or even my mailbox in the offices. Karma is on my side, since I grabbed a student's from where he left it in an exam room, and brought it back to him. But then again, it's more likely to have been a patient than staff. Some lucky Minneapolis homeless person might be entertaining their friends with a DRG Puretone Traditional right now (hours of fun!). So...

- How long do I wait before I go to eBay and get another?
- Can the perp (if it was an inside job) be brought to justice?
- Maybe I should do without, and see how many shifts it takes before I have a need to listen to lungs or do a manual blood pressure?
- Is it more hardcore to use the crappiest disposable steth there is anyway?

Somebody tell a story about how this drama has unfolded, in the past. (And naturally, this is an opening for the semi-annual 'argue about stethoscopes' thread.)

 

[NinerNiner999]

Perhaps the only true crime is that you didn't need to use it for over an hour. Tough day in the ED?

 

[FoughtFyr]

I set it down on the cover of a laundry bin, and went in to a room to help lift a patient. It wasn't there when I remembered to look for it, about an hour later. I imagine this happens in the ED more than it does in your typical clinic or Medicine floor, and the group might share some coping skills.

I'm not giving up hope; it could appear in the break room, the Pit, or even my mailbox in the offices. Karma is on my side, since I grabbed a student's from where he left it in an exam room, and brought it back to him. But then again, it's more likely to have been a patient than staff. Some lucky Minneapolis homeless person might be entertaining their friends with a DRG Puretone Traditional right now (hours of fun!). So...

- How long do I wait before I go to eBay and get another?
- Can the perp (if it was an inside job) be brought to justice?
- Maybe I should do without, and see how many shifts it takes before I have a need to listen to lungs or do a manual blood pressure?
- Is it more hardcore to use the crappiest disposable steth there is anyway?

Somebody tell a story about how this drama has unfolded, in the past. (And naturally, this is an opening for the semi-annual 'argue about stethoscopes' thread.)

I personally love the potbelly when I'm riding the bus or the whirly-bird. It's cheap, easy to replace and LOUD. But in the department I'm a geek with a holster on my belt for my littman.

BTW - I once loaned a potbelly to a EMT-B who was a paramedic student. She was a lifeguard at the healthclub my wife and I swam at. She was talking to me about having problems hearing breath sounds etc. on scenes. Now, this was a well marked steth, with my name and number on it in two places. She quit the lifeguarding job and KEPT THE STETH! So Febrifuge, I've got some karma stored up too, its yours if you want it!
{closing eyes}
Get his steth back...Get his steth back...
{wavy line fade out}

Did it work?

- H

 

[iatrosB]

So Febrifuge, I've got some karma stored up too, its yours if you want it!
{closing eyes}
Get his steth back...Get his steth back...
{wavy line fade out}

Did it work?

- H

I don't know about Febrifuge, but it worked for me. And I didn't even own a steth!! Thanks H

 

[iatrosB]

"First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it."

"One, Two, Four"

"Three sir"

"Three"

 

[Febrifuge]

Perhaps the only true crime is that you didn't need to use it for over an hour. Tough day in the ED?

Naw, my problem there is I have the personality (and the advanced age) of a medium-good staff doc, but in reality I'm a pre-med scutmonkey with about 1% of the knowledge of a PGY-1. For the time being, I'm all hat and no cattle. 😎

 

[Febrifuge]

I personally love the potbelly when I'm riding the bus or the whirly-bird. It's cheap, easy to replace and LOUD. ...

Please tell more about this potbelly of which you speak. Is this something I'd know under another name?

Did it work? - H

😀 Thanks... I dunno yet. It turns out they truck the laundry to St. Paul, and that's assuming it's in there; a longshot anyway. They will call if it turns up with the sheets.

 

[dlung]

I set it down on the cover of a laundry bin, and went in to a room to help lift a patient. It wasn't there when I remembered to look for it, about an hour later. I imagine this happens in the ED more than it does in your typical clinic or Medicine floor, and the group might share some coping skills.

I just use two tin cans attached by string anyways...

When an ex-gf dumped me a long time ago, I burned a lot of s***... that was cathartic. 😀

 

[FoughtFyr]

Please tell more about this potbelly of which you speak. Is this something I'd know under another name?

You can find it at:
http://www.dixieems.com/product.asp?id=1321
I think they make it or are the only ones to sell it.

I used one in the EMS setting for years. Not so good for discriminating between different heart tones, but works better than anything I found for doing BPs through clothing, gross lung sounds (presence of, bad rales, etc.) and apical pulse counts (even through clothes). It really amplifies, but sounds "blurry" from the purest sense. Anyway, I love them and at $35.00 you dont cry if they walk away. As a tech, these are, IMNSHO, the best thing going.

And no, I have no affiliation with Dixie EMS other than being a customer myself.

- H

 

[spyderdoc]

Early on, when I was an ER tech (see feb, there is hope!), I got in the habit of never setting my stethescope down. I keep it in my pocket whenever I am not using it. I've had my current steth for almost 20 years now. A Littman Cadiology II. The old kind with a diaphragm on one side and a dome on the other side with no diaphragm. Since I never put it around my neck, it is in as good of shape as the day I bought it...
Now a few of my colleagues leave their's around all the time and are constantly buying new ones....
Hope you find it!
MArk

 

[Jeff698]

I've had my current steth for almost 20 years now. A Littman Cadiology II.

I've had the same model for about 14 years and it is starting to do weird things. At seemingly random times (like in the middle of listening to breath sounds without moving it) all sound goes away and I can sometimes feel a subtle pressure change in the ear-thingees. I'll move it around and take the thingees out of my ears and then it seems to get better.

Anyone else experience anything like this or is this just yet another manifestation of one of my many neuroses?

Take care,
Jeff

 

[spyderdoc]

I've had the same model for about 14 years and it is starting to do weird things. At seemingly random times (like in the middle of listening to breath sounds without moving it) all sound goes away and I can sometimes feel a subtle pressure change in the ear-thingees. I'll move it around and take the thingees out of my ears and then it seems to get better.

Anyone else experience anything like this or is this just yet another manifestation of one of my many neuroses?

Take care,
Jeff

Well, if you have the soft ear plugs, you gotta clean them out. Occasionally remove the diaphragm and make sure the little hole inside is not clogged up with fuzz. Try to blow air through it to make sure the tubes are patent. (OK, bring on the jokes!)
You may consider sending it off to Littman for a tune up as well. Pretty cheap. They will do a thorough cleaning and replace the rubber tubing.
Mine works fine, but I would have it fixed before replacing it...More for sentimental reasons I guess....
Mark

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

You can have mine! Its hanging on my wall as a decoration right now.

 

[Febrifuge]

You can have mine! Its hanging on my wall as a decoration right now.

Awesome. Let's wait a little and see if mine comes home first, but that's very generous and I appreciate the gesture. Even if you're not 100% serious, it's still a damn fine comment on how cool SDN can be (...and it probably says a little something about Rads, too).

 

[Apollyon]

Two months back, I misplaced my 'scope, but I remembered where. I went to look there, but it was gone, so I went to security, and they had it. Nothing like leaving it behind when you make a dump!

 

[Febrifuge]

Early on, when I was an ER tech (see feb, there is hope!)

Rawk on!

... I got in the habit of never setting my stethescope down. I keep it in my pocket whenever I am not using it. ...Hope you find it!
MArk

Yeah, the bitter thing is, I have the dorky little holster thing, and I almost got it out of my locker too. But, y'know, fashion before function. Sometimes, being cool is a pain. 😎

 

[beyond all hope]

And put their stethoscope in the right leg pocket.

Makes me feel like a cowboy: quick draw stethoscope slung low down on my hip.

And you thought you were a geek...🙂

Had a similar sitz, lost my steth (cardiology II) and never found it again. Bought another one: the cheap, light Littman. I like it but it's not quite as preposterous as the Cards II (the only reason to buy an expensive stethoscope is so that you don't look like a nurse: that's what a famous cardiologist told me)

If I have to buy another one I'll by the Cards II again. Great sounds, and it's heavy so it works great for testing reflexes.

I hate to be lame but I NEVER use the bell. Thought I'd be cute and use the bell on kids but it doesn't work. Most of the Peds ER docs I know use adult-size steths - they say the sound is that much better.

 

[ERMudPhud]

I've had the same model for about 14 years and it is starting to do weird things. At seemingly random times (like in the middle of listening to breath sounds without moving it) all sound goes away and I can sometimes feel a subtle pressure change in the ear-thingees. I'll move it around and take the thingees out of my ears and then it seems to get better.

Anyone else experience anything like this or is this just yet another manifestation of one of my many neuroses?

Take care,
Jeff

You might try cleaning the wax out of your ears 😀

 

[Scrubbs]

I recently had to replace my steth... but it wasn't a pit thief... my dog ate it! Sounds like an old high school excuse! Sorry Mrs. so-and-so, but I'm not going to listen to your heart and lungs today - my dog ate my stethoscope

I found a good deal on a Cards II on Amazon, btw. Hope the steth comes back to you!

 

[flighterdoc]

I've had the same model for about 14 years and it is starting to do weird things. At seemingly random times (like in the middle of listening to breath sounds without moving it) all sound goes away and I can sometimes feel a subtle pressure change in the ear-thingees. I'll move it around and take the thingees out of my ears and then it seems to get better.

Anyone else experience anything like this or is this just yet another manifestation of one of my many neuroses?

Take care,
Jeff

Try blowing the roaches out of the tubes

 

[Jeff698]

You might try cleaning the wax out of your ears 😀

Aw, man...I'm really attached to all that wax. I'd feel sort of lonesome without it.

The roaches, on the other hand, have certainly got to go. Good thing there aren't any of them in Texas. Especially none of the kind that might be tempted to walk off with my stethescope themselves.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[waterski232002]

Who needs a stethescope anyway.... Just put your ear to the patient's chest and you'll hear anything major....

 

[spyderdoc]

Great sounds, and it's heavy so it works great for testing reflexes.

I hate to be lame but I NEVER use the bell.

Yes, my CII is also my reflex hammer....

It's funny, a cardiologist that I rotated with as a med student swore by the bell. He said that the only use for a diaphragm is for contraception!

 

[IdiotBoxen]

I've got a Littmann Electronic 4000 (i've got hearing loss in both ears). Nobody seems to want to steal it...

 

[Febrifuge]

UPDATE:

A boring but welcome end to the story; somebody found it and chucked it in a drawer.

 

[beanbean]

Glad to hear you got it back.

I have left my on the rig quite a few times, but its never been stolen. We'll see if it walks come July with rotations.

 

[Sessamoid]

My Master Cardiology is heavy as a brick. Great for testing reflexes (like I do that often). But also great as a self-defense tool. I think I could give somebody a subdural if I swing it fast enough. 🙂

 

[flighterdoc]

For anyone with $25 to spare, you can get your name engraved on the chest piece of 'scopes at stethoscopes.com (or link there from Littmans site). It won't stop someone from "borrowing" your scope, but at least it will remind them who they "borrowed" it from.

 

[leviathan]

UPDATE:

A boring but welcome end to the story; somebody found it and chucked it in a drawer.

Good to hear, Feb! On a related matter, I just had someone "borrow" my cell phone and then they had the nerve to answer when I called it, so I know they won't return it now. Total damage: $205 for a new phone.

 

[Emergency!]

Feb, glad you found your scope.

For anyone interested in the previously mentioned "pot belly", there is a "buy it now" listing for 50 of them on Ebay for $14.50 (plus UPS shipping of $7.00). You can find it here .

Amy

 

[jpgreer13]

The good news is that everything in the literature tells you the sensitivity of the physical exam for ANYTHING is about 60%, so just check all the boxes on the lab order sheet and feel good about it.