 ThePontificator 
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Joined: Jan 2009  SC, USA
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Posted: 12/11/2011 3:16:55 PM
THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT the ones sold in the school bookstore range in price from $17-25. I'm told that "you get what you pay for". Is this a perfectly useable price range or can I do better by spending a bit more and if so, on what brand? |
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Mr10anahaf
Babysitting your 18+ year old children since 2001
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Posted: 12/11/2011 3:23:41 PM
Can't go wrong with a Littman
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David14
There is no David14 on the computer.
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Posted: 12/11/2011 4:08:16 PM
[Last Edit: 12/11/2011 4:09:37 PM by David14]
Littman Cardiology III if you can afford it.
Littman Classic II SE if money's an issue. I never could hear worth a crap with the 2-tube bargain models the bookstore sold. This store had some good prices when I replaced my Cardiology III a couple of years ago; looks like they still do. |
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Posted: 12/11/2011 4:44:31 PM
Thanks for this info.
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NwG
Midnight Desperado
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Posted: 12/22/2011 2:16:50 AM
Father is a cardiologist for the better part of the last 50 years.
Currently uses a Littman but would trade me and my brothers and sisters for an older Spraug Rappaport (Sp?) Constantly bitches about the ear pieces today. Most likely a gear whore like us and the 1911 vs Glock but I respect his opinion. Not at all trying to help my pops. He worked hard for everything he has. |
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Posted: 1/15/2012 1:04:59 AM
Originally Posted By David14:
Littman Cardiology III if you can afford it. Littman Classic II SE if money's an issue. I never could hear worth a crap with the 2-tube bargain models the bookstore sold. This store had some good prices when I replaced my Cardiology III a couple of years ago; looks like they still do. That Littman Classic II will take you through the rest of your nursing career until you actually get into a practice or clinic where you'll get to use finer listening skills and require better equipment. Every part, except the bell/diaphragm is replaceable and allheart has the replacement parts. Good luck with the nursing program. |
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sigp226
He's not my president.
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Posted: 1/16/2012 4:18:38 PM
[Last Edit: 1/16/2012 4:19:10 PM by sigp226]
I had a Classic way back when. It was a great instrument. One pice of advice, op: get it in a funky color. It will make it easy to distinguish it from all the black stets that will be found wherever you're going, and it will help to ensure that it remains yours.
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Posted: 1/16/2012 10:41:26 PM
I am a paramedic and I use the Littmann Master Classic II it is great stethoscope. Good for blood pressure auscultation, lung sounds, percussion, etc. I have the all black edition, it'll run you about 100 bucks.
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Posted: 1/19/2012 7:12:59 PM
Originally Posted By Kevyn:
Originally Posted By David14:
Littman Cardiology III if you can afford it. Littman Classic II SE if money's an issue. I never could hear worth a crap with the 2-tube bargain models the bookstore sold. This store had some good prices when I replaced my Cardiology III a couple of years ago; looks like they still do. That Littman Classic II will take you through the rest of your nursing career until you actually get into a practice or clinic where you'll get to use finer listening skills and require better equipment. Every part, except the bell/diaphragm is replaceable and allheart has the replacement parts. Good luck with the nursing program. Im in Anesthesia school and all I use daily is a Classic II - gave my old Cardiology II to my wife. With your new ears, the Classic is more than enough. +1 on the funky color - they tend to sprout legs and walk away. Keep it close, but not around neck - an old hypoxic person has superhuman strength and can pull you into the bed. I know. |
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RSIFireRescue
NYS EMT-B
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Joined: May 2011 NY, USA
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Posted: 2/10/2012 8:24:38 AM
I have this.
I'm an EMT basic. I've used others Littmans. I think this is equal. And a fraction of the price. You'll lose it anyway. It's got my vote for quality/price. |
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darktide
Witch-Doctor
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Posted: 2/18/2012 6:33:34 PM
already covered pretty well.
As a nurse, I got by with a Littman classic II, In medical school I purchased a CardioIII––> It lets me pick up murmurs that I probably would have missed... Big friggin whoop... Not worth the $ difference now that I look back on it... Plan on Peds?––> Get a Peds scope (littman again though...) |
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Posted: 2/25/2012 6:11:18 PM
Go cheap. I used a $25 one my dad had lying around.
You need to listen for four things with it, breath sounds, bowel sounds, blood pressure, and heart beats. You can then buy a better one if you feel you need it. I honestly can't tell between the disposable ones we use for MRSA patients and Littmann fancy ones. If money is tight go cheap, don't drop $125 on a stethoscope to take blood pressures. |
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Justa_TXguy
half-seller of ducks
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Posted: 2/27/2012 2:48:27 PM
I have two Littmanns. A Cardiology III and a STC.
They are both good scopes but I retired the III for the STC. It works the best for what I do. Honestly, most of your classmates will have a cheap double-tube Sprague or something. You don't need a good scope for nursing school. Plus, scopes have a habit of walking off and I'd hate to see you lose a $200 scope. |
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Justa_TXguy
half-seller of ducks
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Posted: 2/27/2012 2:51:44 PM
Originally Posted By sparty:
Go cheap. I used a $25 one my dad had lying around. You need to listen for four things with it, breath sounds, bowel sounds, blood pressure, and heart beats. You can then buy a better one if you feel you need it. I honestly can't tell between the disposable ones we use for MRSA patients and Littmann fancy ones. If money is tight go cheap, don't drop $125 on a stethoscope to take blood pressures. Cheap scopes are fine, but there is a world of difference between an isolation scope and a Littmann. I can't hear shit out of the isolation scopes. Honestly, unless the patient has something on his chest that I'm worried about I'll just use my Littman and clean it afterward. That won't work for nursing school because they're anal but it works for me. With an isolation scope, I can tell that breath sounds are there but I have a hard time distinguishing them. Also, murmurs aren't even listened for with an isolation scope because it would have to be so loud that I could hear it without a scope for me to hear it with the scope. Those isolation scopes are worthless. Even a cheap Sprague is worlds better. |
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darktide
Brain Doc
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Joined: Apr 2008 MI, USA
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Posted: 2/28/2012 7:25:28 PM
What /\ that guy said...
Isolation scopes are good for... breath sounds in generally healthy people... and whether a heartbeat is there... That's about it. Get a sick fatty with thick chest walls, and even with the most badass scope has trouble hearing subtle findings... or even proper breath sounds during a loud code situation. Don't break the bank w/ scopes. |
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Posted: 2/29/2012 9:41:54 PM
[Last Edit: 2/29/2012 9:44:54 PM by fstop]
Originally Posted By ThePontificator:
I need to purchase a stethoscope for school. the ones sold in the school bookstore range in price from $17-25. I'm told that "you get what you pay for". Is this a perfectly useable price range or can I do better by spending a bit more and if so, on what brand? Littmann Classic II is what I use. I've picked up heart sounds I thought were obvious that the attending physician missed outright. I haven't ever used any of the cheaper models like the "Lightweight" series (they're about 2/3 the cost of the Classic II on amazon). I bought a cheap Omron 2-tube model from amazon for about $12 as a backup. My *brief* testing indicated that you can hear things just fine, but it HURTS to keep it in your ears for even a second. Paying extra for a littmann is definitely worth it |
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AGW
Forging vengeance in the City of Doom
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Joined: Nov 2004 AZ, USA
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Posted: 3/7/2012 9:50:18 PM
[Last Edit: 3/7/2012 9:54:37 PM by AGW]
Originally Posted By fstop:
Originally Posted By ThePontificator:
I need to purchase a stethoscope for school. the ones sold in the school bookstore range in price from $17-25. I'm told that "you get what you pay for". Is this a perfectly useable price range or can I do better by spending a bit more and if so, on what brand? Littmann Classic II is what I use. I've picked up heart sounds I thought were obvious that the attending physician missed outright. I haven't ever used any of the cheaper models like the "Lightweight" series (they're about 2/3 the cost of the Classic II on amazon). I bought a cheap Omron 2-tube model from amazon for about $12 as a backup. My *brief* testing indicated that you can hear things just fine, but it HURTS to keep it in your ears for even a second. Paying extra for a littmann is definitely worth it This happened this weekend. I auscultated frank aortic and mitral systolic murmurs that had gone completely missed by every consulting service. Looking back at this patient's documentation, I saw nothing but "S1 S2" from every previous MD and RN (may be 14?). Big deal, who cares about fine heart sounds in a stable patient. Well... everyone should. This ended up being the root of his LVH and secondary (not essential) hypertension. With my old Classic II. Doesn't mean I don't want a CIII  |
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Posted: 5/25/2012 5:42:30 AM
Originally Posted By RSIFireRescue:
I have this. I'm an EMT basic. I've used others Littmans. I think this is equal. And a fraction of the price. You'll lose it anyway. It's got my vote for quality/price. I have one of those and I love it. It isn't the best sounding when compared to $300 models, but it is enough to get lung sounds, BP's, bowel sounds, and some weird noises behind the drywall in my kitchen. I have had a couple of the sprague two tube styles. And they are absolutely pure shit. All I can hear is the tubes rubbing together. |
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nick89302
Probably posting from work.
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Joined: Oct 2003 IN, USA
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Posted: 5/28/2012 11:38:33 PM
Whatever you get, learn how to use it. Most people don't have a clue what they are doing beyond, "the ear piece thingies go in the holes on the side of my head and I need to clumsily move that little round thing about and pause at times to make the patient think I'm listening."
Seriously, learn to use your stethoscope. If you get a good one, with the Master Classic II being at the bottom end of good, you'll be amazed at what you can hear. |
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Posted: 6/2/2012 10:11:27 AM
Buy cheap. It will get stolen. I was going to buy my wife (an RN) an expensive one and she told me not to. She has had many stolen... She's been a nurse for 6 years.
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Maine_11B_to_Nurse
Some days only a badge away from psych inpatient
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Posted: 6/2/2012 11:14:40 AM
IF you are the kind of person that doesn't lose things and doesn't let people borrow them (some docs are famous for "borrowing" a stethoscope and walking off with it), then get the Littman Cardio III. It has both standard and small sized head with removable diaphragms making it suitable for peds use too. Some good features and totally rebuildable. Comes with two styles of earpieces. I carried spare diaphragms with me (take up no space) to make it easy to truly disinfect when needed. I agree with the funky color theory and had a metal tag made for mine with my name engraved on it.
Good luck in school! It ain't easy, don't give up. |
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Posted: 6/14/2012 9:55:01 PM
Another vote for the Littmann Classic line. Save your money for a nice scope after you graduate if you feel that you need one. As another poster mentioned they tend to walk away if you are not careful. I used a Littmann Classic & Master Classic through paramedic & Nursing schools. I now use a Master Cardiology as I find it beneficial in the ICU setting.
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Posted: 6/14/2012 10:00:01 PM
Originally Posted By Kevyn: Originally Posted By David14: Littman Cardiology III if you can afford it. Littman Classic II SE if money's an issue. I never could hear worth a crap with the 2-tube bargain models the bookstore sold. This store had some good prices when I replaced my Cardiology III a couple of years ago; looks like they still do. That Littman Classic II will take you through the rest of your nursing career until you actually get into a practice or clinic where you'll get to use finer listening skills and require better equipment. Every part, except the bell/diaphragm is replaceable and allheart has the replacement parts. Good luck with the nursing program. THIS |
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