“I can’t go home.”
“Why?”
“I’ve spent the last 3 hours with the folks in the laundry room trying to find my wedding ring, but I think it’s really gone.”
One of the lesser-known hazards of working in a hospital is that you have to take your wedding ring off to scrub for procedures.
I started with tying my rings into the drawstring of my scrubs … then moved to the “watch band” method. I use my badge lanyard now – which I think may be the most secure solution yet.
Even though I’m happy with my solution, I thought it might help to poll my colleagues to see what they do. After looking at their responses (below) , I realized that the most important thing is to develop a routine – i.e. do it the it the same way every time. And, while you are at it, make it a ritual to remember and be thankful for the support you have at home!
1. Tie it to your scrub pants.
“Tie it to my scrub tie”
“I tie it on my scrubs with about 5-6 surgical knots.”
“I tie it in my scrubs. I tried the necklace thing but found it too cumbersome.”
“Take it off. Tie in drawstring of scrub pants. When changing, never set it down. Finger-drawstring-finger. 46 years without a hitch.”
“I tie it to one of the ties on my scrub pants, that way it doesn’t fall off when I untie… and I check it on my finger like I check my pager on my hip.”
“Tie watch, wedding and college rings in drawstring of scrub pants.”
“Tie it to my scrub ties with a square knot (after losing my ring 3 months after my wedding). Does require some planning if you need to hit the head quickly between cases!”
“Tie it onto your scrubs. Can’t get your pants off without getting your ring.”
“When tying your pants, do the bow. Then double knot it through your ring. As of today, has worked for me for 33 years.”
2. Put it in a pocket
“ I used to tie mine in my scrub ties, but that got cumbersome and I was afraid I’d toss it by mistake. I toss it in my back pocket, which seems not terribly secure, but it works for me. ”
“Back pocket – also lost a ring a few years after my wedding. Now going on 28 years with the same ring.”
3. Put it on your watch band (which then goes on your scrubs, on the desk, in your locker or in your loupe box)
“The best may be to put it on your watch band and tie your watch to your scrubs. That way you would know it was there.”
“Put it with my watch in my loupe box. I wear loupes for every case so that works. If you don’t… it may not be as effective.”
“I tie it to my watch and leave it in the locker!”
“Put it on my watch band.”
“Put it around watch band which I tie to scrub pants drawstring while scrubbing.”
4. Put it on a chain or lanyard
“I used to tie it on my scrubs but lost it one night in L&D. I got home and noticed it was not on my hand, went back to L&D, and found it under the couch but since then I got a silver neck chain with an easily accessible latch that I thread it through right before tying my mask.”
“After losing several watches tied to my scrubs I wear wedding band, engagement ring and bootie for each child on chain around my neck.”
“Necklace. I always wear the same one.”
“I wear mine on a necklace when I scrub. Got a nice one that I trust will not break. 7 ½ years so far….”
“Necklace that my wife bought me for this very purpose. Tried putting it in the scrub pocket, but inevitably it would end up on the floor in a dirty OR”
“Necklace!”
“Colleague put hers on necklace, but technically doesn’t meet OR dress code (although it was a long chain, hung inside her scrubs).
“I clip it on my ID lanyard.”
“Use a necklace made for this.”
5. Put it in your wallet
“I have a key case with a zip compartment for coins and ring – though I must admit I am on wedding ring number 2 (I suddenly had to jump into a case to help with bleeding – the ring went into my scrubs pocket and that was it.) Fortunately my wife made my second ring herself – am taking extra care.”
“Place it inside my wallet, which then goes into my back pocket.”
6. Put it in your loupe box
“I put it in my loupes box with my watch and regular glasses – but I wear loupes for every case. Over the years, I’ve had to go searching through dirty scrubs too many times when I forgot to every attach it any way to my scrubs again!”
7. Pin it to your scrubs
“Hang it from the over-sized, decorative pin that your wife gave you.”
“I use a safety pin on my bra strap. You may have to change scrubs, but I’ve never had to change the former!”
“I always pinned it to the front of my scrubs, but the real motivation to not lose it was to envision the slow and painful death I would face if I did!”
“Diaper pin on the outside of scrubs where the back part of pin passes behind your bra strap so pin must be removed to get scrub top off.”
8. Wear something other than the “real” ring
“I wear a comfort band to work instead of my fancy ring.”
Wear silicone rings or other cool alternatives
“Bought a back up (I lost mine 16 years ago, but mine had never been in outer space like yours.)”
9. Leave it at home
“I leave my ring at home on OR days.”
“No ring on OR days.”
“Leave it at home.”
“Lost two; leave at home on OR days. If I lose another, I’ll replace on the sly… 🙂 17th anniversary Saturday.”
“Always left it at home.”
10. Find a different but creative alternative.
“Duh. Loop it thru your belly ring.”
“Get a ring tattoo”
“I had parts of my ring used to reconstruct earrings, so I guess you could say I wear mine on my ear.”
Use A carabiner – can clip to lanyard, necklace or leave in locker.
Use unique solutions like the RingCling
11. Don’t worry about it.
“If you’re my husband, you lose it and don’t look back. At least he still loves me. :-)”
“I lost two and gave up.”
“No longer wear one after losing my third. Gave up.”
“I’m not very successful with keeping my wedding bands. But I don’t care cause I’ve got the same loving guy for the past 43 years!”
“After two diamonds and three bands – and a first name basis with Alan, owner of the antique jewelry store near me – I just don’t fret too much. It’s the love, not the gold, that counts.”
And as I final note…
“If so many people have lost rings, where do they all go?”
“They go join the lost orphan socks of the world.”
I never thought about this! My husband is currently a first-year med student… maybe we’ll have to get our rings tattooed on and save him the trouble of worrying about the gold.