Infant AND pediatric stethoscope?

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Okay all you pedi nurses, I recently started a new job as a float pool RN in an entirely pediatric hospital. I previously worked with adults so I only have an adult stethoscope. I am trying to decide if I need to buy a pediatric stethoscope AND an infant stethoscope as I will be treating patients of literally all ages, NICU neonates and older. How many stethoscopes do you have? Can I use my adult on my larger/older pedi patients? Is it worh it/necessary to get an infant one as well?

Any advice for this new pedi nurse would be great. Thank you!

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

I use a peditric stethoscope for everyone in the ED and it works just fine, the NICU should be providing a stethoscope for each patient as an infection control measure.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

I only use a regular stethoscope. I bought a pediatric one when I first started in PICU but found that it made little difference whether I used a standard one or a peds one. So when the tubing stiffened and cracked on the peds one, I went with a Littmann II. It was in my work tote, which some numbskull stole out of my car a few days ago. Hope s/he likes pink!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I've tried all kinds. I'd go with a standard Littman. Maybe if you're a neonatal cardiologists you could appreciate the little one but otherwise you should be fine for nursing assessments .

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Specializes in Pedi.

I've been a pediatric nurse for 10 years and always just used a regular stethoscope. I've never owned a special pedi or infant one.

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