How to clean a stethoscope between patients
How to clean a stethoscope: wipe the diaphragm and bell between patients with a wipe your workplace approves, and check the maker's care notes.
Samir Ouali3 min read
How do you clean a stethoscope? Wipe the diaphragm, the bell and the tubing with a wipe your workplace approves, between each patient. Then let it dry. That is the habit.
Why it matters
A stethoscope touches skin, then hangs round your neck, then touches the next person. It is a shared surface that moves. Infection control guidance for healthcare settings, such as the CDC pages on cleaning shared equipment, treats reusable equipment as something to clean between patients. Your employer's policy comes first, because it will say which product to use.
A simple routine
- Wipe the diaphragm (the flat disc) with an approved wipe.
- Wipe the bell side or rim, and the ear tips if they are shared.
- Wipe the tubing, especially near the chest piece.
- Let it air dry before it touches a patient or your neck.
- Wipe the ear tips with your own wipe at the end of the shift.
One reason to check the maker
Some tubing and soft parts can crack or go cloudy with harsh cleaners. The maker's care notes say what is safe. If you do not have them, search the maker's website for your model.
One exception
If your unit has a different rule, such as single-use covers or a dedicated cleaning station, follow that. The workplace rule beats general advice from a gear site.
Small habits that help
- Do not drop it in a bag pocket with loose items. A hard case or a clean pouch keeps it off surfaces. Our list of what to carry in a nurse bag covers where it fits.
- Do not wear it round your neck out of the unit if your policy says not to.
- Replace cracked tubing and worn ear tips. They also affect how well you hear.
When it gets dirty fast
If a stethoscope touches something heavily soiled, clean it at once, not at the end of the shift. Follow your unit's process for that case. For other bag basics, shoes for 12-hour shifts covers the part of the kit that wears out first.
End of shift
- First to go: the ear tips, which harden and crack.
- Check on Friday: tubing for cracks near the chest piece.
- Do tonight: wipe it fully, not just the diaphragm, and let it dry before it goes in the bag.
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