Stethoscope size?

[Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN]

Hi all! I'm excited, scared, and proud to be joining your ranks very soon -- I'll be starting a NICU new grad program in February (wow, that's practically "next month" already, isn't it?). I'm sure I'll be back here with a LOT of questions as soon as I start working, but for now, a relatively simple one. My aunt gave me a beautiful Littmann cardiology III (with the double diaphragm, adult- and peds-sized) for my graduation, but I was wondering if I should go ahead and get an infant-sized scope. I know my particular unit doesn't focus on preemies, but since I'll only be working with neonates, would it just be more practical to have the smaller size?

Thanks a bunch, and happy new year! :)

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

I'd wait and see what your unit's protocol is. Ours has a Littmann for every baby, kept at bedside, no sharing unless it's an absolute emergency. Our cardiologists do use their own, and they rotate around the entire hospital, which has preemies up to "kids" in their 20s, so they have Littmann pedi steths. They use the smaller side for our kids and the bigger for the bigger kids. One actually used his on *me* the other day when I got a little overstressed and tachy the other day, but that's another story.

[luna04]

Each baby has their own stethoscope on our unit as well.

[MandaAnda]

All of our babies also have their own.

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

i have yet to see a NICU where each baby doesn't have their own.

[Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the heads up, everyone, that hadn't even occurred to me!