Stethoscope/Blood Pressure Cuffs for CNA practice

gregmotz · Nov 11, 2008

stethoscope and blood pressure cuff to practice with

I had trouble until I got this inexpensive solution. It is good for practice. Noise in the classroom prevented my learning at school. Later I found another person who bought the same thing.

Go to Walgreen's and look for Walgreen's Healthy Living Self-Taking Manual Inflate Blood Pressure Kit at $16.99 minus 10% (since it is a Walgreen's brand using their saver card).

The bell is attached lightly near the cuff edge so it stays over the brachial artery by itself when inflated. The sphygmomanometer clips to the cuff. This allows one-handed operation. You can practice on yourself. This is worthwhile experience gaining dexterity with reading and deflating smoothly. Helps definitely learning what to listen for. Helps learning what it looks (and feels) like to over inflate. It matches the sound quality of the teaching stethoscopes with two sets of earpieces you will be required to use at the test. Can use it on others too and it helps keep the bell placed correctly.

Later I was able to detach the bell from the cuff and re-fit another unattached bell. I went very cheap at first more expensive later. Worked for me. GL

rancelumsden · Nov 11, 2008

The brand you see the most often is Littmann --- if you check with the nurses you'll get the same answer. I purchased mine online after doing some research. There is lots of info on the web. If you "google" stethoscopes you'll find all kinds of medical supply and uniform companies that sell them and you can do price comparisons. There are also lots of online articles that talk about how to choose a steth.

I started with an inexpensive, off-brand scope from Walgreens for class. My first job was at an ambulatory clinic where I took BP's all day. After borrowing a nurses' scope rather than using my inexpensive one from class, I found that there is a huge difference (in cost too, but it was worth it for me). So, I went out and spent a days pay on a good one which I did not regret.

CNAMichelle · Nov 11, 2008

I bought a medium priced(its nice) one from a medical store (was only the stethescope)and paid $55.00,then I started classes(at red cross) and they sale a nice one with the cuff for $30.00(non profit organization) was gonna cost me $25.00 more dollars for just a cuff to go with my stethescope,so of course I went ahead and bought the whole kit from redcross,least now if I lose one ,I have another,I heard if ya aint careful those things can grow legs and walk off......lol:uhoh3: