Hearing Impaired Nursing Student with Stethoscope

[MystyqueOne, BSN, RN]

Hello,

I am slightly hard of hearing and I do wear barely visible aids. I can hear without the aids, but things just seem a little more muffled to me (because of my unique hearing loss). I am going to meet with my instructor next week to figure out which stethoscope is right for me. The Littmas classic may be all I need, but I know background noises may make things tough for me.

My question is for those that wear aids or know someone that wears aids. When in the working environment and need to use the stethoscope, do you just pop the stethoscope into your ears on top of the aids? Or do you take out your aids each and every single time you need to use the stethoscope? If you do that, does it seem to be a hassle every time you do that? Where do you put your aids when you take them out? I don't want to risk losing them or breaking them. Or do you just not wear them at all during work (which I wouldn't recommend being a good idea)? What's your process? I can wear the stethoscope over my aids, but wearing my aids doesn't help me hear them any better since the tiny microphone is on top and the little piece in my ear may even block out some of the sounds from the stethoscope.

When training as a CNA, I just didn't wear them, but I know I missed out on a bunch!

Thanks for all your advice!

[aminv]

hey

i wear bilateral hearing aid and also and they are visible, but still i can not find answer for all the questions you asked. taking out hearing aid on all the patient is not good idea, there are chances you can break them or loose them. i paid $5000 for mine, so i am not gone do that. but you are right it isvery hard to hear. i am searching for answer too. if you find special stet for you let me know which kind did you get

[MystyqueOne, BSN, RN]

hey

i wear bilateral hearing aid and also and they are visible, but still i can not find answer for all the questions you asked. taking out hearing aid on all the patient is not good idea, there are chances you can break them or loose them. i paid $5000 for mine, so i am not gone do that. but you are right it isvery hard to hear. i am searching for answer too. if you find special stet for you let me know which kind did you get

So, for right now, what do you do? Do you just not wear them? Or do you just put your stethoscope over them (even though not too comfortable)? Thank you for responding!

[aminv]

well i wear hearing aid. because i need it to function because sometimes nurses are talking i can not hear so i started wearing them. i work for LTC so when we get admission that is the only time we need stet and they dont come everyday. if admission comes i tell other nurse to assess lung and heart sounds. but than i will loose practice, so dont know what to do i am still looking for answer i am looking for stet that has ear piece softer so it would not hurt and i am gone ask my doc in next apt if she knows any special stet