Do schools require a certian kind of stethoscope?

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in PCU, ICU, PACU.

Will the school want me to get a certian one, or can I just get whatever I want? I ask cause we aren't supposed to get any info from the school before Jan 5 and we start school on the 10th and I'm getting a little hyper.

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We were told as long is it had a diaphram and bell

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

We were told a diaphragm and a bell. No particular brands.

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Specializes in LTC.

Ours had to have diaphragm and bell and single line no certain name brand

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Specializes in PCU, ICU, PACU.

That's kinda what I figured. Just wanted to check.

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My school advised us to get the cheapest one we could find (as long as it had a diaphragm and bell) -- having a fancy, expensive stethoscope would not help us do any better in school! Also, it's not uncommon for them to get lost or swiped, so, the less you spend, the better.

When you graduate there will be plenty of people wanting to know what to get you for a graduation present, and a nice (more expensive) stethoscope makes a v. appropriate graduation present!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
My school advised us to get the cheapest one we could find (as long as it had a diaphragm and bell) -- having a fancy, expensive stethoscope would not help us do any better in school! Also, it's not uncommon for them to get lost or swiped, so, the less you spend, the better.

When you graduate there will be plenty of people wanting to know what to get you for a graduation present, and a nice (more expensive) stethoscope makes a v. appropriate graduation present!

I disagree with this. I had a cheap stethoscope for CNA class and had the hardest time hearing anything, I thought it was me. I got a much better scope for nursing school: a Littmann Cardiology III and couldn't believe the difference. I can hear and differentiate heart/lung sounds so much better with this scope and IMO that is something you really, really need when you are learning and don't know exactly what you're listening for. I can't tell you how much I have appreciated having this scope with me during clinicals.

As far as losing them or having them swiped... have your name put on your stethoscope (I think I paid like $12 extra for this) and simply don't let it out of your sight. I don't leave my purse or $400 PDA lying around the clinical site or classroom, so why would I leave my stethoscope lying around?

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