Dirty Stethoscopes Bad for Patient Health
Posted by David Mittleman
February 28, 2014 1:39 PM
February 28, 2014 1:39 PM
The Legal Examiner Lansing is brought to you by Church Wyble, PC, a division of Grewal Law, PLLC
Church Wyble, PC, a division of Grewal Law, PLLC
(888) 227-4770www.churchwyble.com
2290 Science Parkway
Okemos, Michigan 48864
[Show Map]
Personal Injury Lawyers Serving:
Charlotte, Clinton County, Coldwater, East Lansing, Eaton County, Howell, Ingham County, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Livingston County, Mt. Pleasant, Okemos, Owosso, Portage, Battle Creek
Archives
Categories
- Automobile Accidents
- Defective & Dangerous Products
- FDA & Prescription Drugs
- Head & Brain Injuries
- Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus)
- Medical Devices & Implants
- Medical Malpractice
- Miscellaneous
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home & Elder Abuse
- Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Toxic Substances
- Tractor-Trailer Accidents
- Uncategorized
- Workplace Discrimination
- Workplace Injuries
- Wrongful Death
Subscribe to The Legal Examiner
Keep up with the latest updates using your favorite RSS reader

Before the doctor sticks his stethoscope to your chest and asks you to “breathe deep” you might want to ask him if he disinfected it first. A new study conducted by the University of Geneva found that stethoscopes pick up a plethora of bacteria from patients’ skin that can be transferred to the next patient in line. Their findings were published in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Stethoscopes Dirtier Than Doctors’ Hands
The researchers conducted their study with 71 patients administered to by one of three physicians. The physicians used sterile gloves and a sterile stethoscope to begin and once they were done seeing a patient, two parts of the stethoscope were tested for bacteria as well as the physicians’ hands. The results showed that both parts of the stethoscope were more contaminated than the physicians’ hands. Specifically, the diaphragm of the stethoscope was dirtier than all parts of the physicians’ hands except for the fingertips, and the tube of the stethoscope was more contaminated than the back of the physicians’ hands.
Stethoscopes: An Extension of Doctors’ Hands
The study authors argue that their findings provide significant evidence for the utility of sanitizing stethoscopes after each patient. In essence, the stethoscope should be considered “an extension of doctors’ hands”. Considering that doctors may see dozens if not more patients per day whose skin comes into direct contact with the stethoscope, it is vital to disinfect following each visit. The researchers also note that stethoscopes are a significant vector of bacteria including MRSA.