What's your fav general use stethoscope?

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I'm just getting back into nursing after being a SAHM for 10 years. When I was in LPN school I had a Littman Lightweight and hated that thing. Worthless IMHO. I'm not even sure they sell them anymore. I'm getting ready to start my BSN program now and I'm wondering what to get for clinicals. Are the Littman Selects any good? They're $60-70-ish...do I need to spend more to get something I'll be happy with or is that a good price range for a student? No idea where to begin really but I want something that is good quality but not an insane amount of money.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I love my Prestige Cardiac Lite. It weighs only 4 ounces, has flexible lightweight tubing, detects sounds very well, and only cost me $34.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

Littman Classic II. Too bad it got stolen at the hospital in Delano! I loved how clear everything was with that stethescope. I'm just to cheap to replace it and carry it around risking it'd be stolen by an MD! Some bring their electronic steths to work, geesh, money doesn't grow on trees you know!

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i have a littman classic II. its awesome. ive had it for about 7 years now, and its still as clear as ever. and you can get it in a pretty color ;)

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i have a littman classic II. its awesome. ive had it for about 7 years now, and its still as clear as ever. and you can get it in a pretty color ;)

Well, I gotta admit...color selection is a big plus for Littmans in my book. :D I'm so glad they are great quality too! lol!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

One-they are cheap enough, you can lose them

two- they have a nice heavy head to use as a weapon if needed,,,,,,FORE

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ID, Oncology, Ortho.

I just picked up 2 NurseMates scopes; one single head for $7.99 and one dual head for $10.99. Both are surprisingly clear and cheap, cheap, CHEAP!!

Every Littman I've had has grown legs and the Spragues are so heavy and bulky, the clips get caught in my hair, etc...

IMO, you are wasting your money on a Littman, unless status is important to you and your hearing is not what it used to be ;)

:balloons:

Also, when I was in nursing school, I was fortunate to have a very well seasoned Nursing Instructor who advised us to trim off a few inches of the tubing with the idea of sound traveling a shorter distance thus making the high and low tones easier to pick up.

It's amazing how altering your equipment and tweaking your processes can make your life so much easier!!

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

I just returned a Littman select. IMHO it was very muffled. I had a single-head Nursemate's that was way better. I exchanged the select for the master classic II. It's much clearer and not much heavier.

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DRG's- cheaper than my Littman Master Classic II, lighter, have a neat little thing in the middle so it doesn't slip off your neck. Also come with anti bacterial diaphragm covers (replaceable) and they sound great. My RRT boyfriend loves his. I think the whole name is Doctor's Research Group.

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i have a littman classic II. its awesome. ive had it for about 7 years now, and its still as clear as ever. and you can get it in a pretty color ;)

Thats what I use....I like it...Most of my classmates use the same stethoscope...

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Specializes in LTC, HH, clinic.

I have had Littman master classic II and Phillips sprague(heavy sucker), I am in home health so, weight is important, so my sprague stays home. Both have excellent sound quality IMO, but the littman was a bit less expensive.

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

I have a nurse mates dual head cheap and it works great, I alsohave a sprague lite it works wonders its a sprague but its a single tube and its cheap, I also have a littman cardiology 3 I got for a present in nursing school but it gets to stay home so it doesnt grow legs lol!

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