I have:

Heard a collapsed lung.

Informed the doc my patient had symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, NOT pneumonia.

Heard fluid and asked for a chest xray to confirm pneumonia

Heard new onset afib before the EKG could get in the room.

Heard that terrible sound a heart makes when there is an incredibly high potassium level

Listened to bruits and thrills.

Heard crackles, rales, wheezes.. and that awful silence.

Confirmed the nasogastric tube I just placed was in the correct spot.

Recognized anaphylaxis and called the code, enabling anesthesia to get there in time

Listened to the racing hearts of newborns

Listened to the last beat of a woman’s heart as I held her hand, like I promised I would.
Caught a BP too low for a machine to catch.

With my nurse’s stethoscope I have saved lives.

I have never borrowed a doctor’s stethoscope because if I ever didn’t have my own, another NURSE lent me theirs.

Change the narrative. Learn what nurses DO.