what's a good stethoscope for nursing school?

Scrubz · Sep 9, 2007

I bought myself a Littman Master Cardiology stethoscope and it was worth the money. Auscultate an apical pulse with a cheap stethoscope and then compare with a Master Cardiology and you'll notice an extreme difference. I'd like to have one of those electronic ones, but I figure it wouldn't be worth the money compared to what I'd use it for. And you might as well spend the extra money to get a MS over a Cardiology III.

So in my opinion the Littman Master Cardiology is one of the better stethoscopes a nursing student, or an RN for that matter, can purchase.

BChach · Jan 4, 2008

Do they really get stolen by other nurses or students, as someone above suggested?!

sharona97, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

Do they really get stolen by other nurses or students, as someone above suggested?!

Unfortunetly, yes. :bluecry1:

mcknis · Jan 4, 2008

Yep Sharona is right. They do get stolen just like pens, markers, scissors, hemostats, and everything else under the sun!

Put your name on yours (engrave or name tag) and then don't let it out of your site. Name tags can be cheap or expensive. I personally like one of the pt armbands or stickers used to mark IV tubing.

StephB1213 · Jan 24, 2008

For my first year of nsg school I got the Littman lightweight and it was very inexpensive, under 60$. And it was on sale, I would say...45$ with the student discount that my local uniform store gives! My friends have the cardio one, it's nice too! The heart sounds are more clearer than the lightweight but mine does the job for now :)

maurabartley · Jan 24, 2008

A dear friend gave me a Littman III for Xmas (I couldn't believe it!!) and I know they get stolen. I was wondering if taping it like one tapes hockey sticks with bright color tape and marking it as mine, would this work? Taping the "steel" part by the ears...thanks..

Dr.Nurse2b · Jan 25, 2008

I was given a Master Classic II as a gift several years ago by Mom...single sided chestpiece that I have used for many years in and out of the hospital...It has survived years in the back of the ambulance and the ER! The chestpiece is unique as you can listen to both high and low frequency by adjusting applied pressure...so no need to turn the chestpiece over. I can attest to clear sound in the back of a moving ambulance and would purchase the same scope again. My 2 cents... :up:

mcknis · Jan 25, 2008

Taping the scope is a great idea, but only tape one area up by the binaurals (steel portion that goes into your ears). Infection control might say something if taped over the whole thing.

maurabartley · Jan 25, 2008

mcknis - thanks! Good thought on infection control....

mcknis · Jan 25, 2008

Welcome. Our NM has really beat inf control into our heads.

StephB1213 · Jan 27, 2008

A dear friend gave me a Littman III for Xmas (I couldn't believe it!!) and I know they get stolen. I was wondering if taping it like one tapes hockey sticks with bright color tape and marking it as mine, would this work? Taping the "steel" part by the ears...thanks..

That is a great gift! I heard that the Doctors ask the techs and nurses a lot at the hospital to borrow their steth's and forget to return them. However, it has NOT happened to me! I just used one of the patients id bands and wrote my name and fastened it to my stethescope and I have on of the other fancy tags from a uniform store on their aswell! In school we are not allowed to wear them around our neck so they are easily misplaced!

kettstunurse · Jan 27, 2008

I have used the cheapo $20.00 'scopes and trust me, you get what you pay for. I currently own a Littman Cardio III and it was well worth the $180.00 I spent. You can hear breath sounds through the chest of a 500 pounder a lot better with it than the cheap ones. There are cheaper Littmans you can buy. Look around and find something in the 75-80 dollar range and start there.