Will the stethescope I was given work?

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Hi,

I am starting an RN program at the end of August. Yeah!! My neighbor who was a nurse about 40 years ago, very sweetly gave me her old stethescope. It has a diaphram and a bell. The bell is seperate from the diaphram and there is a little switch you move back and forth to activate one or the other.

It sounds fine to my completely untrained ear but I'm nervous about showing up my first day of clinical and getting laughed out because of antique equiptment!!

Should I just invest in a new one and if so, how good a one should I get?

I would appreciate any info.

Also, I am just finishing an online pharmacology course this week, it was great and I did well but am a little nervous about starting clinicals. Any advise or encouragment would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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If you can hear when using it, then I would go ahead and use it for now. It really is ok not to spend $100 on a new one. They often sprout legs and walk off at clinicals. I would use the one you were given unless you feel like you want another one. Besides, there is so much other stuff you will have to purchase. Good luck!

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If you can hear when using it, then I would go ahead and use it for now. It really is ok not to spend $100 on a new one. They often sprout legs and walk off at clinicals. I would use the one you were given unless you feel like you want another one. Besides, there is so much other stuff you will have to purchase. Good luck!

ITA! And if you find that you can not hear out of it then you can get another one. I hope no one in your upcoming classes will laugh at you about that....if they do they are idiots. That was nice of your friend to do that, it might even be a collection piece in a few more years, who knows?

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Call me silly, but if that stethoscope holds any sintamental (sp?) value to you or the old lady's family, I'm not so sure I'd want to use it. ('cause it may walk off).

Other than that, if it works, and you can hear well enough, why not?

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Hi,

I am starting an RN program at the end of August. Yeah!! My neighbor who was a nurse about 40 years ago, very sweetly gave me her old stethescope. It has a diaphram and a bell. The bell is seperate from the diaphram and there is a little switch you move back and forth to activate one or the other.

It sounds fine to my completely untrained ear but I'm nervous about showing up my first day of clinical and getting laughed out because of antique equiptment!!

Should I just invest in a new one and if so, how good a one should I get?

I would appreciate any info.

Also, I am just finishing an online pharmacology course this week, it was great and I did well but am a little nervous about starting clinicals. Any advise or encouragment would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I showed up in my clinical with antique equipment and no one laughed at me. Mine didn't even have a bell !!!

I'll be buying a Littman this fall though.

Z

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

FWIW - In over 13 years of nursing, I have yet to hear of anyone's steth walking off. The trick is not to loan them to doctors! :rotfl:

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