Published
For my birthday last month my wonderful husband got me a stethescope and lovely flowery scrub top from the local uniform store. I just started prereqs, so this is all a bit premature, but he's been informally polling every person in scrubs that he meets about the best type of stethescope, and the cheapest place to buy scrubs! Now that's what I call support. He did tell me that just about everyone he questioned told him that stethescopes do have tendency to "walk away" while you're not looking, so I wonder if buying the best quality one is a wise idea?
Susan
I went ahead and ordered the Littman Cardiology III from http://www.allheart.com. I got it in hunter green with my name on it. I will just be very firm and not let anyone use it. Someone reminded me about the sanitary concerns of having others put my stethescope in their ears. That sure reinforced my resolve to keep it only to myself. I did tell my Dad that it was a bit early for me to get one, but he insisted. Who am I to argue? :0) Then I told him that I could always practice on my hubby, my son, and our cocker spaniel. Plus, after I get certified in phlebotomy, I will be going back to working in the OR and I am sure they will help me learn to use it. Thanks for your thoughts, Kimberly
Hey Kats, I'm getting my phlebotomy training certificate at the end of this month too!! (In CA you have to do a 40 hour internship and take an exam before you get the permanent certificate.) I'm starting my internship June 3!
I'd like to buy a nice 'scope too, but just blew my budget on books (yipe!)
Cheryl R
Just wanted to let you know I was browsing the internet and allheart.com has the Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope for only $117.99 plus as a student you can get a free accessory kit worth $49.00 to go with it. Go to the web page and check out the "sales and closeouts" section ... you can find it there!
Even cheapie sprague stets grow legs! The usual culprits are the docs. My first Littmann was a Classic II SE and one day I laid it on a table at the nurses station. When I went to look for it, it was gone! I asked my colleagues it they'd seen it. One nurse piped up and said, "I saw Dr. So and So with it". So, down the hall I went, searching in all of his patients rooms and sure enough, there was my stet, laying on the heater in one of his patients rooms. We used to hang our stets on a hook in the nurses station (not me, I locked mine in my locker) and one doc actually thought that they belonged to the hospital. We politely informed him that no, those belonged to the nursing staff.
The hospital that I work at now, we have shared lockers that don't have a lock on them so I take my Cardiology III home with me every morning. I don't take it off my neck either. Can't trust anyone.
kats
293 Posts
I just got off the phone with my Dad and he was so happy that I did as well as I did this semester considering all the added stress I had to go through. He told me that he wants to buy me a stethescope of my choice. I have posted a couple of times asking for opinions on the subject and done some research and am going to get a Littman Cardiology III. He said he would even pay to have it engraved for me too. You have to understand that my father is usually very stingy with his money, so this is a big deal. I just thought I would share with you all and ask for any last minute opinions on my choice of stethescope before I take that last step and order it. Thanks, Kimberly