New Stethoscope Help :(

DalekRN · Jul 5, 2013

Don't do it on yourself, do it on someone else? Also that is a crazy good stethoscope so you should return it if not satisfied. Are you into cardiology or something?

parkj9 · Jul 5, 2013

No, I'm currently a nursing student and will be starting in the fall so I was buying my stethoscope beforehand. I'm not into cardiology or anything like that but I've just heard that the acoustics on the Cardiology III is better so I was considering switching to that instead of the Classic if there is a problem.

DalekRN · Jul 5, 2013

For me it was an expense that was unnecessary. You'll be doing just basic auscultation like counting apical heart rates and rhythms, lung sounds, and bowel sounds. You could use a super cheap one and be fine. Even as an RN now my very basic littmann is more than enough. I use crappy disposable scopes on the isolation patients and honestly I hear no difference.

green34 · Jul 5, 2013

Really make sure that the diaphragm is open and not the bell. It's a classic mistake. Then double check the ear pieces. Are you listening through clothes? Check connections and make sure that everything is pushed in all the way. If you tap gently on the diaphragm, do you hear it? If not, I would turn the ear pieces around. It looks like they should go the other way. Are you applying enough pressure on the stethoscope? It doesn't have to be a lot. Do you have it on the right spots?

At this point, I would lean towards human error rather than the stethoscope.

parkj9 · Jul 5, 2013

Green34 -- Yep, I tapped the diaphragm and could hear and.i put in the ear pieces as they should be (angled forward). I think it could also be that I expected to be hearing very clearly and loudly but what i am hearing is the normal volume maybe?

parkj9 · Jul 5, 2013

RNmo -- Alright thanks for your input :) I think I'll keep sticking with this until I learn how to properly ausculate and see how it does.

green34 · Jul 5, 2013

It may be. Try putting it below the left breast or look up apical pulse or apex of the heart. That is where you will hear it the loudest.

parkj9 · Jul 5, 2013

Green34 -- I looked up the apex and tried listening with my steth and as you mentioned, I did hear it the loudest (very thumpy). I re-tried listening to the aortic valve, where I had trouble hearing, and it seemed pretty audible. I was also able to hear some bowel sounds as it was right after I ate. So I'm guessing it wasn't a stethoscope problem but rather, me thinking that I was going to be hearing very loudly and clearly with the stethoscope. And also, it was probably because I haven't had much experience using the stethoscope and taking auscultations. Hopefully I'll be able to get used to hearing the sounds once I start in the fall and properly learn them. Thanks for your help!

I also have one last question. If this is about as loud as you'll normally hear, how would I be able to hear with distraction noises/in loud environments? Is it just getting used to recognizing the sounds and being able to find them in these situations?

green34 · Jul 5, 2013

You'll be surprised at how well the ear tips are at blocking out noises. I usually have trouble understanding the patients and their families talking maybe two feet away from me. However, some of the cheaper ones do not hide the sounds as well.

parkj9 · Jul 5, 2013

You'll be surprised at how well the ear tips are at blocking out noises. I usually have trouble understanding the patients and their families talking maybe two feet away from me. However, some of the cheaper ones do not hide the sounds as well.

Do you think the Classic II SE is sufficient/adequate enough?

green34 · Jul 5, 2013

It's what I used for clinicals. I lent it to another student I trust (we were also in a lock down psych unit) and she was impressed by it. I use my cardiology at work when I triage partially because it has a pediatric diaphragm on it.