Electronic stethoscope?

Trauma Columnist · Jan 28, 2007

I bought the LIttman Electron 4000 (about $300) and love it. Its only drawback is that if the battery runs out, you can't use it manually. However, I have had mine about a year and love it - use it a lot daily and have only changed batteries about 3 times. It has a volume control too to help distinguish sounds.

allnurses Guide · Jan 29, 2007

I bought the LIttman Electron 4000 (about $300) and love it. Its only drawback is that if the battery runs out, you can't use it manually. However, I have had mine about a year and love it - use it a lot daily and have only changed batteries about 3 times. It has a volume control too to help distinguish sounds.

TraumaRus

If you don't mind me asking, where did you find the Littman 4000 for around $300? I have been looking at it and the 3000 on several sites, but the best price I have found so far is around $450 for the 4000.

Thanks

Trauma Columnist · Jan 29, 2007

Hey guys, I'm sorry, it is the 3000 that I have. I should have looked prior to posting - sorry for the confusion. I purchased it at a medical supply place in my town last March 2006. I have been very happy with it.

stillpressingon · Jan 29, 2007

not to sound stupid but I'll take the risk: what the heck's an "electronic" scope?

allnurses Guide · Jan 29, 2007

not to sound stupid but I'll take the risk: what the heck's an "electronic" scope?

An electronic stethoscope uses the basics of regular stethoscope and then amplifies the sound. Most electronic stethoscopes also have a sound buffering system that helps reduce background noises. For example the littman electronic 3000 & 4000 are advertised to amplify the sound of the normal stethoscope by as much as 18x.

Here is a sound clip from littman comparing a normal stethoscope to their electronic one http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_WW/global-littmann/home/stethoscope/model-3000/

burn out · Jan 29, 2007

I know this sounds stupid but I have seriously thought about using this. When my daughter was pregnant she bought this doppler like gizmo from target for $20 so she could listen to the baby's heart beat. Well I put it to my chest and was so surprised how much better I could hear heart tones and breath sounds than with a stethoscope..I am tempted to use it at work (now that the baby is here..a little girl Gracie) but I am afraid people will laugh at me.

nurseklw72 · Jan 29, 2007

I'm a hearing impaired nurse. I've had a few different electronic scopes. The first one I got was a Phillips. It had 18x amplification and I really liked it a lot. Then it shorted out and it would have cost a lot more to fix it than to just buy a new one. The second scope I got was another Phillips. It didn't last long, the hard plastic ear pieces broke off. I now have a Littmann 2000 I think? I've had it for about 2 1/2 years. It's starting to short out. I've ordered a Littmann 4000 and still waiting for it to come in. I like the Littmann brand much better. Unfortunately, electronic stethoscopes aren't built to take the beating of working in a hospital. In 7 years, I've bought 4. It's expensive, but without them, I can't do my job correctly. Most of the physicians and other nurses who try my stethoscope out are impressed by the sounds they can hear.

morte, LPN, LVN · Jan 29, 2007

I'm a hearing impaired nurse. I've had a few different electronic scopes. The first one I got was a Phillips. It had 18x amplification and I really liked it a lot. Then it shorted out and it would have cost a lot more to fix it than to just buy a new one. The second scope I got was another Phillips. It didn't last long, the hard plastic ear pieces broke off. I now have a Littmann 2000 I think? I've had it for about 2 1/2 years. It's starting to short out. I've ordered a Littmann 4000 and still waiting for it to come in. I like the Littmann brand much better. Unfortunately, electronic stethoscopes aren't built to take the beating of working in a hospital. In 7 years, I've bought 4. It's expensive, but without them, I can't do my job correctly. Most of the physicians and other nurses who try my stethoscope out are impressed by the sounds they can hear.

hi, i too am a hearing impaired nurse, at what point (degree of loss) did you finally get the electronic steth? in the upper range i need as much as 70 dec. to hear what normally be heard at 10-20.....thanks for your input

soon2bnycmhnp · Feb 15, 2007

hi, i too am a hearing impaired nurse, at what point (degree of loss) did you finally get the electronic steth? in the upper range i need as much as 70 dec. to hear what normally be heard at 10-20.....thanks for your input

Hey I am a New bie and i too am hearing impaired around same decibel as yall .....we should make a group(if there is not al ready 1) i am in Nyc and i want to do Nursing and i need yall help... Please.

bleppity · Feb 15, 2007

I am also a hearing impaired nurse. I have a ThinkLabs digital electronic stethoscope that I have been very pleased with. ThinkLabs website is www.thinklabsmedical.com . It amplifies the sound and also filters out background noises extremely well. I did an externship on a cardiac floor and the nurses and doctors were quite envious of how well it sounded. On the website the list price is $395, but I ordered mine from www.allheart.com for $200. That was the cheapest I could find it. I've had mine for almost a year. I've had to replace the eartips, but other than that it has held up well.

bleppity · Feb 15, 2007

Also, I wanted to point out that if you are a hearing impaired nurse or nursing student, check out your state's department of vocational rehabilitation. I have received 2 stethoscopes through that department without cost due to needing it for school and in order to do my job, as well as hearing aids.