Are cardiology Stethoscopes harder to uses?

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I was just curious. With all the expensive cardiology stethoscopes out there, are they harder to use because of the increased number of sounds you can hear? In others words, is it hard to tell the multiple sounds apart with the improved acoustics? i am looking at a dual lumen stethoscope but it is a cardiology version. It is this one: . I know everyone is sold on littmann but I have heard that at least half of what you are paying for is the name. I was also looking at this one: Cardiac Direct:: 1-888-EKG2YOU :: MDF 2-N-1 Sprague Rappaport Stethoscope 767X. It is a spague rapport but with its fused design I am assuming it functions more like a dual lumen. Your thoughts?

PS I am not into nursing school yet, I am working as an MA so I want to keep the price to a minimum if possible. Thank you.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

Don't waste your money. Wait until you graduate from nursing school and have picked a specialty before you choose a stethoscope. Further, they also make great graduation gifts....wink wink..... Good luck in school.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

I work in a cardiology unit. I swear that once you learn to assess heart sounds, you won't need something so advanced. If you have a hearing difficulty, that is another story. Good luck in your career

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In my hospital the trend is to have a disposable stethoscope in each patient room for infection control. My good and expensive stethoscope does not get as much use anymore. Hold off buying on for now.

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I have a cardiology Stethoscope (from back in nursing school) We were required to buy our own and now use anyone elses. Even in MRSA rooms we had to use our own and we just wiped it down with alcohol swabs real well after we left the room. Every school and hospital is different with policy's> I would wait til you get into the nursing program and see what they will require of you to get.

I am not sure I woudl suggest getting a real expensive cardiology Stethoscope, like someone said it would make a great grad gift. you don' t need that in nursing school. I do love mine ut really did not need it in school. Wait for classes to start and read your supply list and only get what they require of you. We had to have our own pen light and stethoscopes. We had to get the medical scissors too. In fact I let someone borrow my scissors before a clinical and the prof wanted me to cut a bandage during the clinical and I had not gotten my scissors back yet. I got into trouble and points taken off for the day for not having them in my lab coat. I was so mad at the person who forgot thiers and borrowed mine. grrr. Make sure you have what is required at all times on on your person.

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In my hospital the trend is to have a disposable stethoscope in each patient room for infection control. My good and expensive stethoscope does not get as much use anymore.

This is the case on my unit as well because most of our patients are on some kind of precaution. I got a Littman Master Cardiology for a graduation gift and love it, but haven't used it since I started working on this unit. I actually used it for the first time in a long time a few days ago and was amazed at how much more I could hear with it as opposed to those disposable ones! I wish I could use it more often. I don't think they are a waste of money depending on what kind of unit you work on, but I don't think an MA or a nursing student needs to splurge on one.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, School Nurse.

I had a similar stethoscope when I first started in nursing. The one shown might be a bit lighter due to PVC vs. latex tubing, but mine was heavy...I would have liked to have kept it draped over my neck, as that's what I did in those days, but about halfway into the shift, I would get a bit swoony from it pressing on my carotids. It was too bulky to keep in a pocket (once again the PVC version might not be that way). I ended up getting a much cheaper, sleeker, and lighter model that I could easily coil up and slip into my pocket. Beware that stethoscopes can disappear in a moment if left at the desk, on the cart outside of an isolation room, etc.. Sometimes it might be actual theft, but our docs would sometimes just grab a scope laying about to check someone and walk off with it, perhaps leaving it on a different unit. Make sure it is labeled and engraved if you can. I believe a jeweler can engrave them for you.

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Specializes in CVICU.
I work in a cardiology unit. I swear that once you learn to assess heart sounds, you won't need something so advanced. If you have a hearing difficulty, that is another story. Good luck in your career

I agree. I own a Littmann Cardiology 3 and also a cheapo 18$ steth that my mom gave me when she retired from nursing. I can hear better with the cheapo. The only drawback is that the earpieces in the cheap one hurt like a mofo.

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Julie...

Hurt like a what? :lol2:

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Specializes in CVICU.

Self editing is more fun than seeing all the auto-editing if I were to write motherf*****. (See, I did it now just for fun).

ETA: Oops! I thought it would automatically censor! My bad!

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Interesting. I thought it was okay to use one stethoscope for all patients (except peds); and of course we have to disinfect/ clean it before and after patient.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Gave my $150 scope to my daughter for her EMT course, I use my $40 Littman. Little differance in sound but the Littman was about 6" longer which made it much easier on my tall back. I recomend a cheapo for school, then try all your classmates scopes to see which you like best. If youkeep your scope on your neck when wearing scrubs only, your body heat and skin oils will mold the tubing and make it brittle over time. Cloth tubing covers help this a lot.

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