Just wondering what kind of stethoscope did u buy or plan to buy for nursing school?
When I went to school for medical assisting, I used the cheap one the school provided from prestige medical. It was very heavy and I thought the sound quality was ok....until I purchased the littman lightweight! Omg the difference there is very noticeable. Can't believe I went so long without a littman. The sound quality is very impeccable, and let's not forget the weight of it. Much better than having that heavy, double tubing one hang around my neck all day.
I'd say I made a very good choice in getting the littman. Also I was able to get it in my favorite color (lilac/light purple), I love every shade of purple and was also able to have my first and last name engraved on it.
What kind of stethoscope/ clinical supplies did you guys use or plan on using?
You know that they have covers for them, right? They're slinky fabric things. I don't bother with that though. My stethoscope goes around my neck. Has for two years now. No damage yet to my Master Cardiology. Is still fabulous.
In school, I had a Littmann Classic II, which I also wore around my neck for two years. No damage to .
Many hospitals have banned the covers,as well, as an infection risk. Regardless of your experience so far wearing it around your neck will damage the tubing and cause you to have to repair or purchase a new one prematurely.
I've been around for a bit longer than you and have seen this happen repeatedly including to myself.
Throughout school in the 2010s I used my dad's Littmann from when we went to med school!! In the 80s!! At 30 years old, that scope still sounds better than a lot of my friends' junky $20 scopes. To be fair, my dad went into a specialty where he never touched his scope after residency. But still. If that isn't quality and value, then I don't know what is. Now I use an itty-bitty neonatal Littmann.
Sorry to shout, but I just get so excited to spread the Littmann gospel!
Also, I love my White Coat Clipboard. Pricey, but an amazing reference for a new nurse, and folds up to fit in your scrub pocket.
All through LPN school I carried a cold, clunky, awkward metal clipboard and was dreading having to do the same in August when I start the RN program, and then I came across this post. I had not heard of these before now and I was so smitten with the idea of a truly portable clipboard that I immediately went and ordered one of these things. Can't wait til it comes in!! Thanks for sharing!!
My stethoscope advice is very simple: Get one that runs between about $30 and $70, almost regardless of brand, and you should have a stethoscope that will perform far better than any $4-$12 cheapy steth. Those low-cost units are generally the ones you will find as "disposable" steths that you'll use only with a single patient due to infection control reasons... or for school use because they're very cheap. Within the price range I provided, your stethoscope should also be able to perform well enough that you can continue learning and using it well into your first years as a nurse.
My own two primary-use steths are a Littmann Cardiology III and a Littmann Lite (discontinued model). They both work very well. My preferred of the two is the Cardiology III. I've had that one for a little over a dozen years and it's still very good. I got it a long time ago, before I got into nursing as a gift to myself for earning my Paramedic License. I wouldn't recommend it to a student or perhaps even to a brand-new nurse due to the cost, but it's an excellent stethoscope. Just don't buy a stethoscope that you can't afford to easily replace should it get lost or stolen.
Many hospitals have banned the covers,as well, as an infection risk. Regardless of your experience so far wearing it around your neck will damage the tubing and cause you to have to repair or purchase a new one prematurely.
I've been around for a bit longer than you and have seen this happen repeatedly including to myself.
Infection control is a good point. You're right in that a good chunk of hospitals have started bands. I have a couple of questions for you then otherwise.
1) How long did it take for them to be damaged? My Littmann came with a six year warranty that covers wear and an extended warranty that covers lower cost replacement tubing.
2) How often do you clean the tubing? I talked to our Littmann rep, who said that if you clean off the oils, there should be virtually no damage, but that most people are bad about it and only clean the parts that touch the patient.
I cleaned mine between every patient, included the tubing, and it lasted just long enough for the warranty to expire. It wouldn't have mattered because at the time the warranty did not cover replacing the tubing for becoming stiff. They considered it normal wear and tear and they also specifically stated the scope should not be worn around your neck. It was frustrating because had I known I wouldn't have done it. It was a very expensive mistake.
FlyingScot, RN
2,016 Posts
Many hospitals have banned the covers,as well, as an infection risk. Regardless of your experience so far wearing it around your neck will damage the tubing and cause you to have to repair or purchase a new one prematurely.
I've been around for a bit longer than you and have seen this happen repeatedly including to myself.