Starting in well baby nursery

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

Hi Everyone! I have been reading this forum for hours now, but don't see my question anywhere. I am starting in the well baby nursery this week, after 4 years on a telemetry unit. I just thought of this, should I get a new stethoscope? I have a nice Littman, Cardiology III, with an adult and pediatric chestpiece, but will it be too big for the babies? Of course I will ask my preceptor, but other opinions would be good to have. Thanks!

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Specializes in NICU.

What you have will work, but if you are only dealing with newborns, you might eventually want to get a Littman for neonates. My adult stethoscope is now stashed in my car, just in case. BTW, check around for prices if you do decide to buy the neo one. There is a wide difference in prices for the same thing.

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I work in the nursery and was given a pediatric Littmann by my nurse manager. I works well, unless you get a real little one then I wish I had one of the small neonatal ones.

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Keep in mind that many units will have a stethoscope at each bedside for infection control purposes. You may want to check into that before making a purchase.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

ERic is right. Before you invest in a new steth, check and see if they have ones they want you to use, on the unit. Some forbid others bringing steths to the neonatal units for infection control purposes.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

Thanks everyone! Mine seemed to work well today, my preceptor had an adult one, as did others, and some had the tiny little ones. No rule on not using your own, as a matter of fact, there were none there that weren't brought it by a nurse, the doctors had to borrow from the nurses.

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Specializes in NICU.

We used to have stethoscopes by each bed, but they grew legs and walked out the door. Then our boss decided she wouldn't buy any more, we would have to buy our own. Now we all have the little neo Littmans.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I found my Littman Cardio worked fine on the neonates.

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I have a question......

You all say that some places forbid using your own personal Stethoscope.....

What do people with hearing aids do??

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Our unit doesn't currently have any nurses with hearing aids. I'm sure they would do their best to accomodate such a nurse though. Would just involve cleaning the stethoscope between patients most likely.

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Specializes in NICU.

I started out in well-baby nursery too, so I want to wish you luck!!

I had an adult littman and it worked just fine while I was in the newborn nursery. Each baby in the nursery didn't have their own stethoscope ..... they're only in there for a couple of days. We'd just alcohol the stethoscope between patients.

Good luck to you!! :)

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i've been doing level i & ii nsy. a long time. i find i like the pediatric size littman head best. the only time i wish i had a smaller one is when i work with some of our smaller level ii kids. one advantage to the pedi head (as opposed to neo) is that if i have to listen to a mom i can make it work for them, too, in a pinch. for units that do mother-baby, that might be an issue.

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