Review of Littmann 3200 Electronic Stethoscope

Have you ever tried to listen to lungs and hearts while the pt is hooked up to a dialysis machine and they are using a right IJ perm-cath? Well....it isn't easy. Littmann is the gold standard of stethoscopes.

Review of Littmann 3200 Electronic Stethoscope

I received my first Littmann when I graduated from LPN school in 1992. Wow, I'm a real nurse! (Or so I thought - lol). Over the years as I've pursued additional education, I've also graduated from my oh so plain Littmann to my present, all the fancy bells and whistles Littmann electronic 3200.

I purchased my first Littmann electronic stethoscope, the 3100 model several years ago when I took a position as an APN in a nephrology practice. Have you ever tried to listen to lungs and hearts while the pt is hooked up to a dialysis machine and they are using a right IJ perm-cath? Well....it isn't easy even in the best of circumstances. Add in the noise of 31 other patients, the noise of their machines, alarms and the human voices and well, you have an impossible situation. So, I purchased the 3100, with green tubing.

Well, after several years of daily use, the tubing was getting a little stiff and worn. About that time, I went to Chicago for a conference and the Littmann rep was very persuasive and I walked away with a Littmann 3200 with shiny, brand new navy blue tubing.

Pros

Lightweight - I keep my stethoscope tucked securely under the collar of my lab coat and its so light, I hardly know I have it on.

Easy to use - you just push a little button on top and it's on. There are buttons also for volume, to change from bell to diaphragm, and to turn it off. For volume you just cont to press up or down for increasing or decreasing the volume. Rarely do I have to go above the middle range which is the default setting.

Battery life - is very long. It uses one double AA battery which is easily inserted. I am replacing the battery approx. every 3-4 months. The battery is replaced by using a very small screwdriver or a dime to loosen the screw so that the battery compartment separates. You can't lose the small screw as it is secured to the compartment.

Engraving - is free when you purchase your stethoscope. Very professional appearance and it does allow you to find your stethoscope if you misplace it.

Easy to clean - I use alcohol wipes on my stethoscope and clean it frequently. My patients are immunocompromised so it is important that I clean it between patients.

Cons

Expensive - I paid approx. $450 for the 3200 in 2012 and approx. $375 for the 3100. It is tax-deductible as a business expense.

Heart rate calculator - takes a little longer than taking a radial pulse. However, it does correctly calculate an apical pulse.

Repairs - in order to have your stethoscope repaired, you have to send it to Minnesota. The company is quite quick with the repairs but it is an inconvenience.

Conclusion

Overall, I am very pleased with my Littmann 3200 electronic stethoscope. It has served me very well over the past 18 months and the Littmann track record is phenomenal.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Littmann 3200 electronic stethoscope.

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traumaRUs

About traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

Trauma Columnist

14-yr RN experience, ER, ICU, pre-hospital RN, 12+ years experience Nephrology APRN. allnurses Assistant Community Manager. Please let me know how I can help make our site enjoyable.

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Thank you for the review! I have been contemplating making the purchase for a few months :)

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Just wanted to update this:

I have had my Littmann 3200 sthethoscope now for awhile and yes, I still love it! Still works just like new, still looks new. So, I still wholeheartedly endorse it!

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I have had my Littman 3200 for over a year and have only replaced the battery once. I am hard of hearing, and I couldn't do my job without it! I love mine, and would reccomend it very highly to anyone who is hard of hearing.

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I have a 3100 and love it. I love the fact that you can hear lung sounds and bowel sounds even on an extremely obese person. Also I'm hard of hearing so it certainly makes life a lot easier!

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Specializes in Forensic Nurse.

Thank you for this article. I got accepted into the RN program and was contemplating between the Littman 3200(about $390 on allheart.com) or Thinklab stethoscope(runs about $500 and is only sold on their website). The reviews for both are great. I know its pricy but decided it was worth it because all the reviews I've read so far states how clearly you can hear the different heart and lung sounds, and based on my experience in LPN school, those were my problem areas. So it's great to have a tool that will help to alleviate that problem. Thanks again for the article.

Now to find out if my nursing instructor will allow me to use it lol

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