Stethoscopes for a new nurse

Marialeah · Apr 12, 2002

Everyone is telling me to get a Littman, but since I have yet to use one I can't vouche for it :)

shay · Apr 12, 2002

I have a littman and I love it. Had it ever since day one of nursing school. Been a nurse for 5 years. No problems. People ask to borrow it all the time.

Littman steths are great, but I bet a cheapie sprague steth would do the job just as well. It's one of those apples and oranges kind of choices, ya know?

whipping girl in 07, RN · Apr 12, 2002

I got through nursing school with a cheapie sprague type stethoscope, then my mom bought me a littman classic 2 for graduation. I could hear just fine on most patients.

My student nurse association in school always had a littman sale at the beginning of the year to raise $$$. Probably half the students in my graduating class had littmans in school. I didn't feel the need to spend the $$$ on it just for school. I mean, I was assessing breath sounds/heart sounds/bowel sounds on just a few patients a couple of days a week. If I had a patient I couldn't hear well on, I'd borrow a better stethoscope. Now that I'm working, I use a stethoscope a lot more and I'm glad mom sprang for it (if she hadn't I would have.) The most important thing to remember when assessing BS is to turn off the TV and tell the patient to be quiet for a few minutes and take deep breaths. You have the occasional jerk who gets mad, but they are not in the hospital to be entertained, but because they need nursing care. Be assertive!!

One of these days I'll probably upgrade to the Master Cardiology by littman, but I need to be making the big bucks for awhile first!

joyrochelle · Apr 12, 2002

I had a sprague for the better part of school too, until my wonderful boy bought me a littman for xmas.

the sound quality is very nice, my ear is really not that well trained to hear an explicit difference, but the littmans are neater, better quality (duh) and MUCH LIGHTER.

it makes a difference....believe me.

nothing like a 12 hr. shift with some albatross around your neck

SICU Queen · Apr 12, 2002

I have a Littman Cardiology II and it's great. However, I heard very well with a regular old Sprague. I'd go with the cheaper one for now; things like stethescopes have a way of disappearing and I'd hate to see you spend the bucks only to have it "taken" a few months later...

nursedawn67, LPN · Apr 12, 2002

I have a littman and I love it.

CEN35 · Apr 12, 2002

i had a sprague in emt school and clinicals. i then bought a litman for about $45 in nursing school, in 1994.

three months ago, i bought another litman for $138, and i think it is way better. i can hear much more, and it is much clearer.

me :)

ERNurse752, RN · Apr 12, 2002

The Littman Classic II SE or whatever it's called is good...

I have the Littman Cardiology III and really like it. I can hear even more than the Classic II, although it's a little heavier.

But be forewarned...if you get a Littman, NEVER let it out of your sight or it will never return to you. Seems they grow legs...

http://www.littman.com

RNforLongTime · Apr 13, 2002

I say get a Littmann. I just bought the Cardiology III. Before that, I had the Master Classic. Wow! What a difference! When I was in school, I used a cheapie sprague, it worked fine. The nice thing about Littmann's is that they can be "rebuilt" rather easily. You can replace the bell, Diaphragm, rim, tubing earpieces. The parts are relatively inexpensive.

Good Luck!

shay · Apr 13, 2002

Hey Kelly...where in the heck did you find replacement tubing? I have a Master Classic II and an infant (gift when I graduated....1st job was NICU). I prefer my infant @ work much more, but the tubing is kind of stiff now for some odd reason. WHERE CAN I GET REPLACEMENT TUBING???? Help!!!

nrseAmy · Apr 13, 2002

Most definetly a Littman!! I would suggest going with the cheapest Littman 1st then drop hints for a Grad gift on the Littman upgrade that you want....