Peds Stethoscope or not?

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I landed my DREAM job in a 36 bed pediatric unit (mixed med-surg with hemat/oncology) a few months ago and I am about to graduate so I'm beginning to think in terms of specifics to buy before I start.

I don't remember if the nurses on the peds unit we had clinical on had pediatric stethoscopes... since you are pediatric nurses, what do you think? I know for clinical we just used our reg. stethoscopes, and they did fine, but since I'm going to be a pediatric nurse is the investment necessary or required?

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in ER,ICU and Progressive Care Unit,Peds.

I wouldn't say it is required. But I did buy a ped stethoscope when I was assigned to peds. It works much better on the infants and neonate than my big regular size one. The regular size one almost covers the whole chest on some small babies.

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Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

Congrats on your new position!! As for your question, it all really depends.

Peds Heme/Onc patients run the gamut from pretty young to teenagers, so IMO you wouldn't be wrong to have 2...but I digress. I have a Littman Master Classic which works very well for just about all sizes of kiddos, except for the really small ones - and for them I switch out my head for the head of a pediatric dual head from a scope I had long ago.

vamedic4

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Specializes in ICU.

The Littmann cardiology III has both pediatric and adult sides. That way you have both options available without having 2 stethescopes.

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I can't live without my peds scope. I don't like assessing a small child with an adult scope. As the PP said, it can cover the whole chest, also, I don't think you get good contact due to the curvature of the child's chest against a larger flat surface. I do feel I can do a quality assessment on an older child or even an adult with a small stethoscope head. I've actually sold my adult scope. A few of my co-workers have infant copes instead of peds but I think the peds is good all round. By the way ADC is a good deal- cheaper than paying for the Littmann name but same quality, IMO.

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