Can't hear through my Littman!!

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Hi!

I am just finishing nursing school and thought I would trade up to a better stethoscope.(I have gotten through nursing school with a sprague type that I got at the campus bookstore for $14.00). I went out and bought the Littman Select. Am I doing something wrong here...I can't hear a thing through it!! Do I need a better Littman? My classmates have gone on and on about their lightweight Littman's and how great they can hear through them. I didnt care for the lightweight. The Select was the same price, so I thought it would be as good. Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

maybe try to check your earpeices? i know you can change them out and i think replacement pieces are pretty cheap... maybe try that before you spend the extra money on a new one.

i have a littman classic II which is a pretty basic one and ive had it for almost 8 years and it still is clear as it was the day i got it.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

Try different ear tips--- or try moving your head up or down with the tips in so you can figure out what angle it needs to be at to best facilitate hearing! Good luck.

Hi!

I am just finishing nursing school and thought I would trade up to a better stethoscope.(I have gotten through nursing school with a sprague type that I got at the campus bookstore for $14.00). I went out and bought the Littman Select. Am I doing something wrong here...I can't hear a thing through it!! Do I need a better Littman? My classmates have gone on and on about their lightweight Littman's and how great they can hear through them. I didnt care for the lightweight. The Select was the same price, so I thought it would be as good. Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

Is the end flipped around as if you were listening through the bell?

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Is the end flipped around as if you were listening through the bell?

Ditto that. If you tap on the diaphragm/bell, does the sound travel to you? If not, try twisting it around once. It might be turned off.

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Be sure you have the ear sections in your ears the right way. I know that sounds funny, but if you try to listen with them backwards you wont hear much.

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I bought the one sided, pressure sensitive type of Littmann and I couldn't hear anything through it-- did you get this type or a 2 sided (bell AND diaphragm) type?

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Specializes in OB.
Be sure you have the ear sections in your ears the right way. I know that sounds funny, but if you try to listen with them backwards you wont hear much.

exactly. Littmans go in "backwards" to what they look like they should

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Some people swear by Littmanns, but I can never hear a thing through them. Give me a cheap scope, anyday.

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Hi!

I am just finishing nursing school and thought I would trade up to a better stethoscope.(I have gotten through nursing school with a sprague type that I got at the campus bookstore for $14.00). I went out and bought the Littman Select. Am I doing something wrong here...I can't hear a thing through it!! Do I need a better Littman? My classmates have gone on and on about their lightweight Littman's and how great they can hear through them. I didnt care for the lightweight. The Select was the same price, so I thought it would be as good. Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

Not all Littmans are created equal. I, too, had a Sprague for about $14, and heard quite well, but it was heavy and I wanted a 'better' one. So I bought a $50 Select Lightweight that was popular, and I couldn't hear a danged thing. No, I was NOT putting it on wrong, LOL, I just couldn't hear well with it. Very poor quality, IMO, and obviously not the popular one: lots of people like it fine. Me, I gave it to my kid for a Halloween costume.

So, now I have a Master Cardiology (to the tune of $160, I think) and I can hear so well that I bet if I tried, I could spy on my neighbors, LOL! Seriously, two Littmans and couldn't be more different. One I can hear heart murmurs, and on the other, I couldn't hear if they HAD a heart.

My cheapie Sprague worked very well, just was too heavy for me. My "better" Littman was useless. I had to shell out the bucks for a much better one, it seems. Lucky are those who can hear fine with the Selects!

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well thank you all for your comments and suggestions. It wasnt turned "off", its a one sided pressure sensitive Littman. I decided since I'm graduating, and as a reward, that I would return it and try a better one in the store. I brought my daughter along and listened to her heart & lung sounds in the dressing room. For some reason I am just one of those people who couldnt hear a thing through the select or the lightweight. The S.E. worked better....but that Master Cardiology!! WHEW!! You are right it is like nothing I have ever heard through a stethoscope before! Incredible! It's the one I decided to get and keep! Thanks to everyone!

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