How do you carry your stethoscope?

How do you carry your stethoscope?

  • Around neck

    Votes: 49 42.6%

  • In pocket

    Votes: 32 27.8%

  • In jump bag

    Votes: 22 19.1%

  • Don't carry

    Votes: 12 10.4%
  • Total voters
    115
SES4

SES4

Forum Lieutenant
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And the winner is.....

medic417 said:
Have you considered how easy for you to be pulled down by a patient if it is around your neck? Before you say that never happens, I will just say yes it has and I had to get the patient off the person it happened to. If you want it on your neck allow the ear pieces to hold it there and put the bell in a shirt pocket. Then if they grab it, it just pulls away.
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I can not agree more. They can and will grab your scope and practically strangle you! LOL.
 
Aidey

Aidey

Community Leader Emeritus
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VentMedic said:
Second, avoid carrying it around your neck after you have examined a patient. Anybody remember the recent thread about what bugs are on stethoscopes? Several EMT(P)s have contracted some nasty infections in that area. You may have a little pimple or scape/scratch on your neck which could be just enough of a break in the skin to allow you to be exposed to some bacteria. Also, that area of your body probably won't get washed until you take a shower which is a nasty accumulation of a day's work.
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We carry some sort of anti-everything wipes. I always keep a container on the bench seat somewhere within arms reach. I use my stethoscope, wipe it off, let it dry, and put back on.
 
Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
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I keep mine on the back of the stretcher. If by chance it's not on the back of the stretcher, it's over my shoulder. I don't wear it around my neck anymore. And yes, I wipe it down with the cancer wipes between every patient. No ickies on my steth.
 
B

Barney_Fife

Forum Crew Member
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I don't carry my own. There's always one in the jump kit(s), or on the action counter. Otherwise, I don't have one with me.
 
lightsandsirens5

lightsandsirens5

Forum Deputy Chief
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Ummm.....all three of those places. Usually in my bag though. I try to not wear it around my neck, ecpecally around patients
 
ResTech

ResTech

Forum Asst. Chief
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Always in my side cargo pocket... it bugs the heck out of me to have it around my neck... especially when its hot out.
 
medichopeful

medichopeful

Flight RN/Paramedic
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medic417 said:
Have you considered how easy for you to be pulled down by a patient if it is around your neck? Before you say that never happens, I will just say yes it has and I had to get the patient off the person it happened to. If you want it on your neck allow the ear pieces to hold it there and put the bell in a shirt pocket. Then if they grab it, it just pulls away.
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That's a very good point. I think I'll just put it over my shoulder once I start doing clinicals and everything.

On a different not, but sort of similar, it's not a good idea to have a radio wire go across your back, as it can be easily wrapped around your neck.
 
S

Seaglass

Lesser Ambulance Ape
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Sasha said:
And yes, I wipe it down with the cancer wipes between every patient. No ickies on my steth.
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Same. For me, it's in the bag until right before I need it, and only around my neck while I'm with the patient. After I'm done, it gets wiped down and goes back in the bag.
 
Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
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Barney_Fife said:
Think of all the Staph and MRSA you're getting on your neck.

YOU COULD DIE or something of that nature..
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Think of all the staph and MRSA already living on your skin...

Oh my god, you could die!
 
V

VentMedic

Forum Chief
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Since it seems most of you wear your stethoscope around your neck, here's another little safety tip.

If you working around a helicopter, make sure that stethoscope is secured preferably in a pocket with a fastener or your bag that is secured at a distance. If you are in an area that uses helicopters frequently, carrying your stethoscope around your neck is a bad habit to get into as you may forget.
 
Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
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VentMedic said:
Since it seems most of you wear your stethoscope around your neck, here's another little safety tip.

If you working around a helicopter, make sure that stethoscope is secured preferably in a pocket with a fastener or your bag that is secured at a distance. If you are in an area that uses helicopters frequently, carrying your stethoscope around your neck is a bad habit to get into as you may forget.
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Would hate to lose that expensive Littmann Cardiology III black edition to a helicopter Whatever would people do BPs with?
 
V

VentMedic

Forum Chief
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Sasha said:
Would hate to lose that expensive Littmann Cardiology III black edition to a helicopter Whatever would people do BPs with?
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A flying stethoscope could do serious damage to a helicopter. If not immediately noticed or the EMT(P) tries to hide their stupidity, that helicopter and crew could go down in a very bad crash. Be careful with your equipment.
 
Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
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I understand it could do damage, I was being a bit sarcastic. They should really make a sarcasm font or smiley or something.
 
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