Help: My Deaf Stethoscope

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jul 9, 2007

Heart and lung sounds are a different hearing decible than normal conversation and everyday noise. Sometimes it's just a matter of practice.

Have you tried listening with a classmates scope (different brand) to see if able hear heartbeat and breath sounds? Did your instructor/classmate also try using yours?----this would help rule out defective equipment if they also can not hear sounds vs need purchase better quality scope.

If others can hear using your equipment, then scheduling a hearing examination with audiologist might be in your next interest to check your hearing. Results of that exam would guide you in determining need to purchase higher quality brand vs one designed for those with hearing loss.

Hygeia79 · Jul 9, 2007

you need more practice with another stethoscope;)

vashtee, RN · Jul 9, 2007

I had problems with my blood pressure practicum, too. We tested with a stethoscope that split into two headpieces so the CI could hear the same thing we did, and this reduced the sound by 50%!! Because I was so nervous about not being able to hear, my own blood pressure would rise and it seemed I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Ugh! That was the WORST practicum for me!

Anyway, keep practicing, and do it using the stethoscope you will be tested with.

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · Jul 9, 2007

Here's what I did when I had a lot of trouble hearing through a cheap stethoscope.

I finally just went out and bought the cheapest Littman steth and have been very happy ever since.

Also, I used to not hear anything because my bell was turned around meaning my stethoscope was turned off! Took me a while to figure that one out! :lol2:

squeakykitty · Jul 9, 2007

My stethescope problem was when I was using it to get a BP, the joints in my left hand creaked so much it was interfering with the sound. I could hear better if I used my right hand to hold the bell.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2007

I have a tip that might help you achieve better sounds from your cheap stethoscope. Since some stethoscopes are long, the excess length of the rubber tube may muffle the purity of the sound. I took the cheap stethoscope that was issued to me by my former school, removed the entire diaphragm piece from the bottom, and cut the tube about 4 to 6 inches (10 centimeters) from the bottom. After cutting the stethoscope, I reattached the diaphragm piece to the bottom of the shortened tube. Since the tube is shortened, I am now able to hear sounds out of this cheap stethoscope.

choken666 · Jul 10, 2007

Awesome! I've had the creaking knuckles, the elevated blood pressure, the bell problem, I think the suggestion by The Computer in shortening the length of the tubing is an excellent suggestion. I will invest in a better one with better quality tubing and I will practise practise practise!

Thanks people

j_tay1981 · Feb 25, 2010

I have a tip that might help you achieve better sounds from your cheap stethoscope. Since some stethoscopes are long, the excess length of the rubber tube may muffle the purity of the sound. I took the cheap stethoscope that was issued to me by my former school, removed the entire diaphragm piece from the bottom, and cut the tube about 4 to 6 inches (10 centimeters) from the bottom. After cutting the stethoscope, I reattached the diaphragm piece to the bottom of the shortened tube. Since the tube is shortened, I am now able to hear sounds out of this cheap stethoscope.

I've seen this technique listed a few other places. Since I had a spare Prestige Sprague laying around, I thought I'd give this a shot. Surgery was pretty easy on it :) but now it looks like a toy around my neck (I took off ~ 4.5" from each tube, so its ~ 17" long). I'll have to try it out to see if this was successful but I WILL say this: the original Sprague-Rappaport's that were made in the 1960's that are so coveted by cardiologists only had a tube length of 16"! Now that means one has to get a wee bit closer to that patient with the oppressive BO or swamp breath :eek: , but if I can get clearer sounds out of my stethoscope, so be it!

nsue · Feb 22, 2011

Hi, I am having the same problem with my expensive littman stethoscope. It works intermittently...sometimes clear as a bell and at other times all I hear is my own heart beat in my ears. I never had this problem with my cheaper stethoscope. I don't know if it is a stethoscope problem....user error...fluid in the ears or what? I can listen to someones heart and lung sounds great then go to another room and can't hear a thing??

Any suggestions?

CrazyGoonRN · Feb 23, 2011

I have a prob with my stethoscope, I bought the cheap one because I knew they are predominantely used in those government funded hospitals we got here in Australia and I figured if I could master the cheap and nasty then I'd be right. Here's my problem: I cannot hear through my stethescope! I've repositioned it, I even tried using another stethoscope to no avail. Because I'm a nursing student I was being assessed on this!
The suggestions why it wasn't working were as follows:
-my stethoscope is sick and i need a new one
-i got fluid in my ear, but my Dr doesnt think its enough to cause the prob
-it was noisy during the test
-i need more practise
Are there any others out there who have had a similar problem or are there any suggestions for me? I don't want to get a new steth if I'm going to have the same prob. I know my method is correct because I only passed due to the fact that I was doing everything right except hearing the bloody pule!

When I got my first steth in nursing school I could not hear anything either. After weeks of hearing nothing through it, I had an instructor suggest changing the ear peices. I thought she was crazy so I didn't do it at first. Turns out she was right. It had come with the squeshy (sp?) earpeices on it and I changed it to the hard ear pieces and I suddenly could hear everything! :-) They were not as comfortable but I didn't care. I could finally hear! My next steth that I got I had the exact same problem so I changed the ear pieces to the hard ones and I suddenly could hear :-) So If you havn't already tried it, change the ear pieces and see if it makes a difference. :nurse:

nsue · Feb 23, 2011

Thanks CrazyGoon, I did as you suggested and did not have any problems in clinical after that. I am pretty sure you are right about those squishy ear pieces! Oh and I stretched out my stethescope so it did not sit so hard into my ears and that helped too!

Thanks!