Stethoscope: Cadillac vs Escort

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Please guide me if you will. I have to pick a stethoscope for school and see that you can get a cadillac version or an escort version. My specific question is: Does a Cardio stethoscope work well for general diagnostic purposes?

I am between the Littman Master Classic II (general diagnostics), or the Cardio III (cardio/high performance).

I'm sure those of you already in school now know what they like, and appreciate your help.

Thanks.

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Specializes in Public Health.

I think you'll find that the Littman is just fine for school (and beyond). Later if you find yourself working in the NICU or a cardiac specialized field you may want to switch but for now go with the least expensive one. Best of luck to you in school.

M

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

i tried to get through school with the stethoscope that they sold us at the uniform shop it was cheap and it had to be absolutely quiet to hear what you needed to. i love love love the maxiscope from ultrascope comes in lots of colors you can hear in a noisy environment and even through a layer of clothing in emergent situations. even better its only around $35.00

http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=allheart&.autodone=http%3a%2f%2fwww.allheart.com%2fnsearch.html&query=maxiscope

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Specializes in I got hurt and went to the ER once.

I bought a nice Littman for school. I liked it a lot but then I lost it. I started to freak out and then I saw an Anesthesiologist with a freebie stethescope from the supply room and I calmed down.

I recall learning in high school band that it is the artist and not the instrument that performs. When my clinical skills reach a high enough level and I can REALLY use a nice stethescope, I'll invest in one. Until then as long as I can hear "lub-dub" I'm happy. Because at this point that's all I really understand.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, & Tele all on one ward!.

If you have a steth that you can't hear well with in school, it will be very difficult for you to learn with. I used a Littman Classic and did just fine...I have since upgraded to the Cardio III so I can hear better in loud environments. Then again, not everyone does flight nursing or trauma nursing.

You don't need to spend a ton, but I don't recommend one of the $20 ones either.

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Please guide me if you will. I have to pick a stethoscope for school and see that you can get a cadillac version or an escort version. My specific question is: Does a Cardio stethoscope work well for general diagnostic purposes?

I am between the Littman Master Classic II (general diagnostics), or the Cardio III (cardio/high performance).

I'm sure those of you already in school now know what they like, and appreciate your help.

Thanks.

You know, every time I see a new "which stethoscope should I buy?" thread, I smile. That's because the answer is different for every person who answers! And what is right for them may not be right for you. Seriously, everyone who loves their own steths is convinced it's the best one there is, whether they bought a $20 kind or a $200 kind. And each person after the next will tell you why the steth that Person A raved about was horrible, but theirs is great, LOL! If not terribly informative, the threads do tell you how much everyone spent on their scopes for price comparisons :)

I'm not so unusual in that I had a $16 Sprague that I heard WAY better out of than the $50 Littman I thought I was "moving up" to. Dumped that, went back to Sprague until graduation, when I asked for a gift of the Master Cardiology (because I tried out a friend's and decided it was definitely worth the $$).

So how to knowwhat to get for yourself? Go to the shop, try out a few right there to compare. Know any healthcare people who you can ask to try out their steths? Do it. Honestly, I'd have no qualms about walking into the local ER, telling them you're a new student and have to buy a steth, and could you listen to a couple of theirs? I certainly wouldn't refuse you :)

Best of luck in whichever you find is best for YOU!

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Med/Surg.

I bought a $250.00 stethescope for nursing school and learned an invaluable lesson. That stethescope was TOO good for a beginner to learn on. It was difficulty to learn how to listen when you heard so much! So my advice, is to get a cheaper stethescope until you train your ears....then move up to the cadillac of stethescopes.

Jean & Houdini

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Specializes in healthcare12 years.

:monkeydance:I agree dont get the cardiac version you do need to train your ears, but some of the cheaper ones are heavy and bulky so you can get a 35 dollar littman if you go to http://www.naperstethoscopes.com/ you can get cheaper littmans, I like it because it is lightweight. When I start the ICCU I probably will upgrade

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