
What Stethoscope Should I Get?
Determining
the best stethoscope for your situation will depend on the type of work
that you perform on a regular basis. When buying a stethoscope ask
yourself, do you treat pediatric patients, work mostly with adults or
specialize in a field such as cardiology?
Depending
on your work, there are a variety of stethoscopes that are designed to
deal with each type of situation. Cardiology stethoscopes, for example,
are designed to deal with a wide range of heart sounds and a good one
will have strong oscillation properties that will minimize sound
interference. In fact, in many cases nurses and doctors choose
cardiology stethoscopes because of their sound quality and frequency
range.
If
you work in an ambulance or in a loud environment where there are a lot
of noisy distractions, you may prefer to choose an electronic
stethoscope capable of amplifying sounds it receives. These stethoscopes
are also great for medical professionals dealing with hearing
difficulties.
Nursing
students or those who work in quieter environments may opt for a less
expensive stethoscope that has decent sound oscillation but may be made
with heavier, less durable materials. Each stethoscope that is available
on the market has its own pros and cons depending on its use case, so
make sure you determine what you’ll be using it for before making the
purchase.
There are various specialized stethoscopes available for purchase such as:
Remember to keep these things in mind when choosing a stethoscope.
What type of environment will you be working in?
Will
you be working in a quite setting, the emergency room, ambulatory care
or pediatrics? Understanding your environment will have a huge impact on
determining the stethoscope that will best work for you.
If
you work in a loud environment than an electronic stethoscope may
improve your ability to listen to specific sounds, however if you work
in a doctor’s office you may want to go with a non-electronic
stethoscope that’s lighter and less expensive.
What type of patients will you be caring for?
Are
you typically dealing with infants and children, adults or patients
suffering from heart problems? Some stethoscopes are designed to listen
better to certain frequencies better than others. For example, if you’re
dealing with children and infants rather than a pediatric stethoscope
may be better than one for an adult and vice versa.
If you need to listen to really low-frequency
sounds than maybe you should purchase a dual-headed stethoscope with a
bell over a single-headed one with just a diaphragm. The best
stethoscope will be the one that works best for helping you determine
your patient’s medical condition.
Take Care of Your Stethoscope
Once
you choose a good stethoscope, you’ll want to make sure you keep it
clean and safe in order to prolong its life and save you money.
Purchasing a decent stethoscope cover, name tag and cleaning supplies
can help extend the life of your stethoscope. Some brands also sell
replacement/interchangeable parts that cost far less than buying a new
stethoscope. For instance, some stethoscopes have replaceable bells,
diaphragms and ear tips that can easily be swapped out if the old ones
go bad.
This
is a very cost-effective way to maintain an otherwise good stethoscope.
When purchasing cleaning supplies make sure they are non-invasive and
will not harm the stethoscopes materials (such as the line/tubing) or
de-color it as you’ll want to maintain both its appearance and overall
lifespan. Lastly, rather than throwing out your old stethoscope when you
purchase a new one you may be able to sell it for a decent price by
keeping your stethoscope in good condition working condition, especially
if it’s still worth a lot new when you sell it.
You
can replace or remove the ear-tips, clean (sanitize) the tubing,
diaphragm and metal components, and sell it either online or to a
coworker/student that wants a good stethoscope, but can’t afford to, or
doesn’t want to pay for a brand new one.
Items to help you prolong the life of your stethoscope
Here
are some accessories you can purchase with your stethoscope to prolong
your stethoscopes life, improve its performance/effectiveness, keep it
clean and ensure it doesn’t get lost.
Name tag/badge – (help keep track of your stethoscope, especially if it gets lost)
Carrying case – (keeps your stethoscope clean and safe)
Additional diaphragm/bell – (can replace damaged/dysfunctional components)
Scope light – (adds an additional layer of functionality to your stethoscope)
Stethoscope cleaner – (keeps it clean)
Disinfectant / alcohol wipes – (keeps it sanitized)
These accessories are not necessary, but they may be worth considering before you use, replace or sell your stethoscope.