Littmann Cardiology III Stethoscope or Classic II S.E?

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I'm not sure which to get. I graduate in a year so I want to buy one I can use when I graduate. On the Littman website, it says the Carido III is for cardiologists, respiratory therapists, etc- but I've seen nurses with the Cardio III. Any advice to which one I should get? If I don't have to spend the extra $$ for the Cardio III that would be great, but if it's the gold standard for nurses, I'll get it. I tested both out and liked them

Thanks!

2bnursesteph2010,

It's a good idea to start out in nursing school with a quality scope that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'd hate to make recommendations because what may sound good to me may not to you; however, for students on a budget, I agree there aren't many choices. What I WON'T recommend are the cheap Sprague Rappaport stethoscopes they sell in school. What I've gotten for myself after speaking with a few med students is a CD27 stethoscope from GRX Medical. The CD27 differs from the CD25 in that it gives you the option of using the bell as a pediatric diaphragm or you could convert it into a bell, just like the Littmann. It's basically a clone of my Littmann Cardiology III, but without the phoney tunable diaphragm (which makes it a direct clone of the Cardiology II). I swear I could hardly hear a difference in quality between my CD27 and my Cardiology III. Anyways, it's available for under $50 directly from http://grxmedical.com; but I'm a curious guy and searched around and found that GRX was promoting their line of stethoscopes on ebay for half of their retail price, complete with penlight and name tag:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CARDIOLOGY-III-STETHOSCOPE-FREE-Pen-Light-Name-Tag_W0QQitemZ310050979411QQihZ021QQcategoryZ109444QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Good luck with everything and hope I was of some help!

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Beyondx4, If price wasnt an issue, would you pick the CD27 & the Littmann Cardio III. I was going to get the cardio III but it seems they get "lost" a lot during rn school.

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Inspire,

To be honest, having the Littmann Cardiology III still feels so cool...it's like having a Porsche or a Ferrari; however, note that the recent Nissan GT-R from Japan has spanked both the Porsche and Ferrari on the road and on the track for about 1/2 to 1/3 the price. Weird analogy from a car lover...hehe. Anyways, 3M Littmann are quality products that are a bit overpriced; however, if it gives you a bit more confidence, it may be worth it. Please do read my earlier post on this thread about some problems the Littmann tunable diaphragms could pose (esp for a student). I recently found out my gf's medical school have virtually banned the tunable diaphragms to prevent errors in auscultation. Another thing you've mentioned is losing stethoscopes. I've lost my Littmann Classic II SE because somebody knew I had a Littmann and snuck their hands in my bag! That's the reason why I liked the GRX scope so much, it feels and performs as well (if not better) than my Littmann, yet nobody even peeks at it. Haha...I guess there's a price to pay when you decide to own those high-end European automobiles.

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I saw both of these today. Classic II is quite a bit lighter which seems to be a benefit. I feel like I am wasting so much time trying to decide :banghead:.

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I think most students make it a bigger deal than it really is. Trust me, there will be many things in nursing school that will stress you out much more. You seem like you're set on the Littmanns. The Classic II SE is a good universal stethoscope many nurses love. Unless you're working in a Cardiac ICU type of unit, the Classic II SE will satisfy all your requirements. As for me, I've owned both Littmann scopes and just feel cheated when I could get something else of the same quality that works better for a quarter of the price. It's hard to convince others...ya just gotta live it. More importantly, know that this stethoscope has a tunable diaphragm and how variable pressure on the chestpiece could affect the auscultated sound. It's funny but many nurses I talk to on the floor with Classic II SEs or Cardio IIIs around their necks have no idea what a tunable diaphragm is...yikes!

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CVICU, CCU, and Neuro ICU.

When I was in nursing school, I received a Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope as a present form my parents for my birthday. I had a cheap $15 stethoscope before that. The Cardiology III was so much better than the cheap one in its ability to pick up different sounds and quiet sounds. Of course I assumed any non cheap stethoscope would be the same way. During my last semester of nursing school, one of the other students asked to borrow my stethoscope during clinical for a few minutes. When she was done using it, she said mine worked so much better than hers that she couldn't believe it. She had the Classic II S.E. stethoscope and so did most of the other students in my class.

So we tried a comparison test with the students in our clinical group and some cooperative patients that liked having students learn from them. We didn't tell them the different models of stethoscope, just that we wanted their opinion of the two. Everyone agreed that my Cardiology III was able to pick up quiet sounds and also pick up more sounds than the Classic II S.E. Lung sounds and murmurs were easier to hear and louder with the Cardiology III and it was easier to distinguish between different types of sounds.

Is the Cardiology III worth the extra money? That depends on your opinion. If you have some hearing loss or difficulty distinguishing or hearing faint sounds, it may be worth the extra money. If you plan to go into cardiology or critical care, it may be worth the extra money. Of course, after you graduate, you could treat yourself to a Cardiology III as a graduation present or new job present.

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i am starting my first home health care job next week and had purchased a 3M Littman Select Stethoscope. can anyone give me the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of this particular stethoscope? i purchased it on ebay... supposibly "new"... but im in dire need of a steth now.

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i've heard that in general, littmann scopes are good, but always try it out before purchasing. some of them aren't as good.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.
i am starting my first home health care job next week and had purchased a 3M Littman Select Stethoscope. can anyone give me the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of this particular stethoscope? i purchased it on ebay... supposibly "new"... but im in dire need of a steth now.

Kirsten, I also own the Select and it truly is a great stethoscope. I have used several other stehtoscopes and currently am using this one at work. I can do a good general assessment and hear lung sounds/heart sounds well. no complaints yet...

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:) I have both and I notice a dramatic difference between the two. I honestly have to say get the Cardiology III, it is worth it in the long run.

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Specializes in none.
:) I have both and I notice a dramatic difference between the two. I honestly have to say get the Cardiology III, it is worth it in the long run.

I tried the Cardiology III stethoscope out at a scrub shop and I was hoping to hear from it because I had a cheap Prestige Medical SpragueLite that I couldn't hear anything out of. I was surprised because I could hear the brachial pulse that I couldn't hear before. My aunt, cousin, grandmother and friend, who are all nurses, said they have the Master Cardiology and loved it, so I decided to go for that, knowing it was a step above the Cardio III. I just ordered it on eBay, BRAND NEW!, for $125 + $10 shipping. I'm getting mine engraved at Things Remembered so it doesn't "grow legs." LOL. :chuckle

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thank you for the info....what are med schools suggesting if not a littmann?

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