[keaton90]

Can somone help me find a stethoscope for under $30. Im a pre nursing student and I cant afford a Littmann Cardiology III....lol Ive found several on ebay, but I dont know which is best.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Josh

[Atl_John]

I would give you the following advice along with a few questions to ask yourself Josh.

1. What are the others that you have found on Ebay?
2. Do you have to have one right now, it said you were pre-nursing, and your 17? You wont' be using it in your pre-req nursing courses (micro, a&p, etc)
3. If you dont' have to have it right this minute I would highly recommend that you save up your pennies and buy a good Litmann instead of trying to get a chepo that won't be of much help in your attempts to learn various sounds. You don't have to have a Cardiology III to have a good one that you can use in your clinical rotations. Now I do wish I had had a good one to begin with so I could learn with it and then be comfortable with it in practice.

[keaton90]

I currently dont have any, but I really need one.
Here is the links for some of the ones I was thinking:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-SPRAGUE-RA...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-CARDIOLOGY-I...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Elite-Dual...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._promot_widget

http://cgi.ebay.com/CARDIOLOGY-III-S...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bigshears-Cardio...QQcmdZViewItem



I would really appreciate any info on these or any others anyone know of.
Thanks,
Josh

[mcknis]

josh, as a second (and final) year nursing student, I have purchased several stethoscopes for school and have found many that I like. I myself do use a littmann cardiology 3 because I wanted to hear the best the first time. I also have a littmann classic 2 knock off that I use for work. it works great for me, and i have no problem hearing anything, excpet on those REALLY big breasted female pts (you'll understand when you get there). I have used other electronic stethoscopes all the way down to the cheap disposable ones in the isolation rooms at the hospital I work at. use what you can hear best out of. If you try one of those cardiology models and don't like it, then you aren't out a whole bunch of money, but If you buy a 150 dollar littmann and are disgusted (I have only found one person who is against it, because they said it was "too much of a scope" but they never used it) then you have invested well, but can return it.

I would say go listen with some of the school stethoscopes in the nursing labs, and at the hospital, if you get a chance to go there. Ask around to see what people like in your area and use theirs to test drive. Also, go to the local unifrom store and try out some of theirs, they usully aren't too upset by letting someone in the profession use theirs.

DO a search on here and find out what other people have liked in the past. This topic has come up more than once in the past, believe me, I know!

PM me if you need any more info about school or stuff.

A fellow man in this profession, scott

[keaton90]

Which do more people use, and whats the differance between a single, and dual head stethoscope?

Thanks,
Josh

[Atl_John]

Originally Posted by keaton90

I currently dont have any, but I really need one.
Here is the links for some of the ones I was thinking:
I would really appreciate any info on these or any others anyone know of.

Josh, again I ask you why do you need one right now? Are you starting clinicals immediately? Have you gotten into nursing school yet? You never did tell us why you need it so badly. At 17 I'm assuming your still a senior in HS. As a guy whos about to graduate in two months land has been doing medicine (veterinary) for 7 years previousy, save your money. Short of having gotten into nursing or EMT school and having to have one right now don't worry about getting one yet. Get the LIttmann Card. III or the Master Cardiologist when you have saved up the money and your clinicals start that semester. I've bought 3 different scopes, when what I should have done was save my money and just bought the one I really wanted instead of spending money on all three of them.

However, since you seem bent on getting one right now look at www.allheart.com for really cheap littmann's I mean CHEAP compared to retail. I woudln't get anything less than a Classic II SE There are prices in there that the job I worked at at one point in time coudln't even get wholesale.

John

[keaton90]

Originally Posted by Atl_John

Josh, again I ask you why do you need one right now? Are you starting clinicals immediately? Have you gotten into nursing school yet?

I'am a senior in HS, but I do alot of BP work, because my most of my family has hypertension, and heart problems.

[RNsRWe]

Originally Posted by keaton90

Can somone help me find a stethoscope for under $30. Im a pre nursing student and I cant afford a Littmann Cardiology III....lol Ive found several on ebay, but I dont know which is best.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Josh

Simply put, you're not going to find a really good scope for under thirty bucks. If that were the case, you wouldn't find the majority of medical professionals who USE them buying significantly more expensive ones.

That said, I believe a good, basic scope is a Sprague (Prestige Medical) that can be had for about sixteen bucks. It's not great (remember, you're not going to GET a great one) but it's just fine for blood pressures. Actually, I found it to be better than a cheaper Littman; I just didn't like how heavy it was and the head kept screwing off when I wore it around my neck!

For what you're looking for, I'm sure it'll be just fine. If you're looking to take blood pressures, you don't need anything more than that.

When you're IN nursing school clinicals, you'll likely want to upgrade.

[RNsRWe]

Originally Posted by keaton90

I'am a senior in HS, but I do alot of BP work, because my most of my family has hypertension, and heart problems.

By the way, be careful about calling yourself a "pre-nursing student" when you are in the first quarter of your senior year of high school! That's a far cry from being even pre-nursing. You might just as well say you're pre-med, or pre-law, right? Not really.

[keaton90]

Originally Posted by RNsRWe

By the way, be careful about calling yourself a "pre-nursing student" when you are in the first quarter of your senior year of high school! That's a far cry from being even pre-nursing. You might just as well say you're pre-med, or pre-law, right? Not really.

I have already been in contact with my local college.