Stethoscopes!!!

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 16, 2013

Hi! I have taken a long time to decide on which stethoscope I'm going to use. It's the Littmann Cardiology 3! I noticed they have an electronic stethoscope as well! Would you consider this a dumb move? Because it allows you to be accurate yet somewhat cheat and rely on it to give you the results but I'm sure it also saves a lot of time too...
Some thoughts? Do you have on? Would you get one? What stethoscope do you use?

I use a Cardiology III as well. I do not use an electronic one myself, mostly because they amplify EVERYTHING.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jun 16, 2013

I use a Cardiology III as well. I do not use an electronic one myself, mostly because they amplify EVERYTHING.

But with the electronic scopes you have the option of focusing in on heart sounds or breath sounds...while tuning out on whatever you don't want to listen to. They are very expensive, however. Some of our ER docs have them and they seem to love them but I personally love my Littmann Cardio III

blondebabe0625 · Jun 16, 2013

Would you guys ever get one? They sound great

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2013

Count me in on Littmann Cardio III love. None electronic for me; I like learning to hear things with the distraction of other sounds.

But I will say my love for the Littmann Cardio III is cemented every time I use another stethoscope - especially when I had to use the throw-away ones in isolation rooms.

ComeTogether, LPN · Jun 20, 2013

Just curious--for myself, aren't you afraid it will walk away? How do you plan to deal with people who want to "borrow" it?? I feel like Im too nice and would have a hard time saying no.....even though I think its kind of gross to begin with and also, I wouldn't want someone using something so expensive. My co-worker dropped a borrowed stethoscope in a full bed pan once......the nurse let her keep it, :-p

green34 · Jun 20, 2013

Electronic is too expensive for my purposes. I only know one nurse in the ER with it and her friend's mom gave it to her for free because some sort of rep gave it to her.

I either know the people very well as in my clinical classmates (I only let three people use it) and I hunt them down shortly within 30 minutes. If I don't know them, I say no or I follow them while they use it.

After hearing that bedpan story, maybe no one will touch mine.

blondebabe0625 · Jun 21, 2013

I really want to save up and get one. You're right about it waking away. I want it engraved. I definitely won't let people borrow it. I can see a lot of people will try to "test" it out but is it rude to say no? So many other people's earwax. I could alcohol wipe it but still. Did you/will you engrave your stethoscopes?!

blondebabe0625 · Jun 21, 2013

Or personalize it somehow?!

green34 · Jun 21, 2013

I engraved mine through the company I ordered it from with my first and last name. Downside will be if I get married and change my last name. They had free engraving for Black Friday and I think they still offer it. Black Friday is the best time to buy except maybe Nurses Week but I think in 2011 they had awesome deals and 2012 they were just "meh." I didn't see 2013 Nursing Week deals.

Make sure you get the stethoscope head personalized and not the tubing. It cost about 30-50 bucks for new tubing and ear pieces for a lot of the stethoscopes.

Just say you are very protective of your stethoscope or you don't like the thought of earwax.

blondebabe0625 · Jun 22, 2013

Just say you are very protective of your stethoscope or you don't like the thought of earwax.

Lol! A ER RN that is afraid of some earwax