Need help on stethoscopes!

Larry77, RN · Dec 15, 2005

Scott,

It really comes down to a few key things...personal preference, use intended, and funds available:

-I advise you to go and play with some at a uniform shop or somewhere that

has a good variety.

-Think about what you are going to use it for...if just for BP's a cheep good

brand one will be fine, but if you plan on listening to lungs, heart, and take

BP's than you should look into some midrange to upper range quality steth's

-Think about how much you want to spend realizing you can spend just

about as much as you would like...I've seen them up to 900$ for amplified

recording steth's

-Also as an extra thing to think about is weight, some of the dual headed

and/or sprague type steths can get pretty heavy and if you plan on carrying

it around your neck they can really weigh you down.

-Some schools or instructors insist you use a dual headed steth even though

the good single headed steths do both sounds (personally I like the single

headed Master Cardiology but thats just my "preference")

BTW...never leave it out of your site these important tools tend to get "lost" into someone else's hands even with your name all over it...been there done that twice...grrr

KatieBell · Dec 15, 2005

Remember that what your Grandmother did as a nurse, is totally different from what you do as a Nurse. My Granma is 88 years old, was a Nurse during WWII and remembers not being allowed to take a blood pressure...so for sure some things might have worked well for your Grandmother, but the standards and responsibilities of nurses are now constantly increasing. (Your Grandma is probably not quite so old and probably remembers more modern nursing!)

Did you ask the school which one they recommend? Ours insisted that we have a Littman, A Select II or higher.

I'll say just because something looks like a littman doesn't make it a littman.

One other brand I had good luck with was TYCOS- but apparently they are quite expensive- (Mine was one that had been sitting in the ED for one year with no owner, and then someone stole my Littman, so the NM took pity on me and gave me the tycos)

Maybe compromise- the Nurse aide training course is only going to teach you to take a BP- not to eval heart and lung sounds- you could get a 16.00 sprague and use it for the course, and during the time you do clinicals ask some of the nurses if you can borrow theirs- and see which one you like. It's good to have a back up.

One more thing I'll say for Littman is their warrenty. I used my stethoscope in Sudan- due to the extreme heat (about 115 F each day) the tubing crackes, the diaphragm and rim broke and so much dust got into it that the dual head would not turn. I mailed it to them and expected them to tell me that I used it under incorrect conditions. Within 2 weeks, I was mailed a very clean fully repaired stethoscope for free with their good wishes. That was quite a benefit. I used a Sprague during that time and I wanted to scream as I could not really hear any lung sounds or heart sounds...for BP's though it was good.

Best Wishes.

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 15, 2005

Littman is a good stethoscope and I've been happy with mine.

Now, in my program we are required to buy a certain type and everyone must have the same one in the same color, so before you go out and spend a ton of money, you might want to double check that requirment. I know more than 1/2 my class had to buy a new one when they started school and most were pretty upset about it. They are Littman's though.....

1Tulip · Dec 15, 2005

Scott,
It really comes down to a few key things...personal preference, use intended, and funds available:
-I advise you to go and play with some at a uniform shop or somewhere that
has a good variety.
-Think about what you are going to use it for...if just for BP's a cheep good
brand one will be fine, but if you plan on listening to lungs, heart, and take
BP's than you should look into some midrange to upper range quality steth's
-Think about how much you want to spend realizing you can spend just
about as much as you would like...I've seen them up to 900$ for amplified
recording steth's
-Also as an extra thing to think about is weight, some of the dual headed
and/or sprague type steths can get pretty heavy and if you plan on carrying
it around your neck they can really weigh you down.
-Some schools or instructors insist you use a dual headed steth even though
the good single headed steths do both sounds (personally I like the single
headed Master Cardiology but thats just my "preference")
BTW...never leave it out of your site these important tools tend to get "lost" into someone else's hands even with your name all over it...been there done that twice...grrr

I agree with Larry:

1. Find the one that works best for you.

2. Get your initials engraved on it. (I just scratched mine on... nothing fancy)

3. Never, ever let it leave you body or pocket. Never set it down and walk away.

I can't hear with the really cheap ones. So if you're learning to take BP's and listening for chest sounds, a cheap one might hold you back.

I've always had bell/diaphragm. Only ever used the diaphragm.

mcknis · Dec 18, 2005

Well...I checked with my schools' Director of Nursing and she said to go cheap! I asked her about brand, and I was informed that it didn't matter, as long as it was within a reasonable budget. I was kind of shocked by her answer, but I guess I will have to live with it. Our school sells nurse kits in the bookstore, but the price is too high for me. I decided to get a BP/steth kit from galls.com for $16 (so I can use the steth as a backup) and also got an ADC 603 (Littmann Classic II SE look-a-like) as my primary steth for $30. I might regret it later on, but since I haven't tried either of them, I am just going to wing it. (BTW our bookstore won't let students remove the steth from the kit to test it out. I think thats crap, but I can understand how they feel, too.)

Just wanted to keep you all informed.