However, these stethoscopes are very expensive and are not superior to dual or single head stethoscopes. They're entry-level models that provide essential features such as tunable diaphragms. diet Fran Fasching DNP, RN, FNP- BC is the owner of Nurse Practitioner Professional Medical Writing (NP2 Medical Writing). Stethoscope is sensitive and comes equipped with a dual-sided, turntable diaphragm and bell. Youll find it very useful in explaining your findings to the patient so they are more likely to follow your recommendations. 3M Littmann Cardiology IV (Performance Level 9) is a superior stethoscope for critical care and patient care areas. Is the Littmann Electronic Stethoscope the best stethoscope for Nurses? The cost is less than $150, and buyers can choose from 10 colors. The Littmann Classic II Pediatric, as well as the Classic II Infant, are versions with smaller chestpieces oftheClassic II Stethoscope. Patients heart sounds are saved in 15, 30, or 60-second recordings to create a library or enter into patient charts. Teardrop shape chest-piece helps to slide under the cuff easily during blood pressure measurement. These help to form a seal on your ear to help you hear the faintest hear tones and lung sounds. Your email address will not be published. In the 1970s, Dr. David Littmann (Littmann stethoscopes inventor) underscored stethoscope use in nursing assessment and diagnostic skills. The cost is $270 $330, with four color options. Littmann Cardiology IV: Designed to help you hear subtle changes in patient status in critical care, challenging, and dynamic environments. Dont forget the carrying case! In this article, I have written about my hands-on experience on several popular models of Littmann stethoscopes. Choosing the right stethoscope expands assessment skills and benefits patients by contributing to quality patient care. Tube: 28 inches, Y shaped single lumen tube. Non-chill bell cover for patient comfort. Use scenario: Blood pressure measurement, learning purpose, listening to normal heart sounds, coarse lung crepitations. 3M Littmann Lightweight and Select Stethoscopes are ideal for taking blood pressure readings and making a limited patient assessment. I found your blog because of the NCLEX-related material you have here, but the chemical dependency unit that I manage just happened to upgrade our stethescopes. The social media uprising from nurses across the country and a clarifying statement from Pamela Cipriana, American Nurse Association President, Nurses dont wear costumes; they save lives, secured nurses strong position in all areas of patient care. Over 80% of over 45,000 Amazon reviewers gave the Classic II five stars. Performance Level 6: These stethoscopes are ideal for checking blood pressures and making limited patient assessments. As a nurse, I discovered quite a few things about this stethoscope that set it apart from all the others. Some lower-performing stethoscopes have a single tubeone tube traveling from the diaphragm, then splitting off into a tube to each earpiece. In 2015, during the Miss America pageants talent competition, Kelley Johnson (Miss Colorado) made nurses stethoscopes famous. Pediatric stethoscopes are similar to adult stethoscopes, but the chest pieces are smaller. Enter theLittmann Cardiology III Stethoscope. She recited a monologue about caring for Joean elderly man with Alzheimers diseaseand the moment she realized nursings value. cosmetic surgery Your privacy is protected. With the Littmann Classic III, you will, in short, be able tolisten to any sound you wishgrade I murmur, S3 and S4 noises, among others. However, using the rudimentary stethoscope was limited to physicians. I used other nurses Master Cardiology a number of times, but honestly could not hear enough difference to justify the step up in price. Also confused on choosing colours, here's the list below, along with the model numbers. Moreover, the soft large earpieces snap on well and do not cause any discomfort even while using it for quite a long period. The only complaint I ever had was its price and its tendency to stick to other peoples hands or necks as they were leaving the unit(!!). If you are in school or training, ask your instructors for recommendations. Check out the shiny Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200. This dual head stethoscope boasts excellent acoustics (Performance Level 7-8) for a wide range of adult and pediatric patients. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 3M Littmann and Eko combined artificial intelligence and Littmann quality in the Littmann Digital Core stethoscope (Performance Level 10+). Avoid extreme temperatures. The Littmann 3100 has the same acoustic performance as the superior model the 3200. Choose a color that will stand out. Furthermore, caring for the stethoscope properly guarantees the longevity of this investment required for reliable and skilled patient care. The MDF MD One offers 20 color options. It is believed to be the first stethoscope (electronic) equipped with distinctive Bluetooth technology which allows clinicians to transmit heart, lung, and other sounds wirelessly from the chest piece to the computer (thanks to the StethAssist software) for further analysis. MRCP Turnable diaphragm, you can use both sides of the chest-piece to listen to high-pitched and low-pitched sounds. Littmann Classic II Infant: Dependable, hard-working clinical tool for physical assessment, monitoring, and diagnosis of the smallest patients. Nursing student. Choosing the best 3M Littmann Stethoscopes for Doctors and Medical Students. Out of these, Littmann stethoscopes are by far the most renowned for their high precision acoustics and quality. Non-latex material. Veterinary care. 3M Littmann Classic III Monitoring Stethoscope. TheLittman Lightweight II S.E stethoscope, as its name indicates, has a lightweight yet durable design and features a one-of-its-kind double-sided chest piece, which is actually ovoid in shape. thyroid cancer You need someone in your corner telling you what your managers really need from you, helping you learn to interact with your preceptor, and really just manage your life. Digital stethoscopes have been here for quite some time now. The tubes will crack after long-term exposure to human skin substances, so longevity increases if nurses place the stethoscope over a collar or minimize tube to skin contact. Littmann Classic III: Ideal for students and medical professionals for monitoring and assessing children and adults in non-critical environments. In any case the pic is def the Cardiology III. I am so glad you found this post just when you needed it. This stethoscope ranges from $220-$350 based on the retailer. The best stethoscope for nursing students is the 3M Littmann Classic II (Performance Level 7-8). Dual head A dual head stethoscope has two listening areas- the diaphragm (larger surface) to listen to high-pitched sounds, and the bell (smaller surface) to hear lower-pitched sounds. Get it off Amazon now and make the most of your money. congenital heart disease weight loss, Costamedic Classic III | Master Classic II | Cardiology IV. Littmann makes the best stethoscopes for nurses, hands down. Buying you a new Littmann stethoscope may be intimidating, but here are a few tips and tricks to find your perfect stethoscope. If you meant the Cardiology III, there is not a Master Cardiology III . The most common colors of stethoscopes are black and blue, which means your stethoscope will look like 65 percent of your coworkers if you choose these colors. This is where Littmann electronic stethoscopes come in handy. Then, nurses were introduced to stethoscopes in the 1930s to monitor patient blood pressures. These are some of the best ones they make and where to buy them. There is no Amazon rating for Welch Allen products; however, this product rates well with other retailers. These soft ear tips are a must if you have small ears. Nurses might want to consider a five to six-inch difference in distance from sick patients and the ergonomic benefits of bending less during assessments. Besides this, it relies on improved acoustics which better allows it to capture high-frequency sounds, both diaphragms are tunable and it has dual-lumen tubing which reduces ambient and friction noise. What kind of stethoscope do you prefer? She is the co-founder of Health Media Academy and is an award-winning author and blogger, international keynote speaker, and influencerin the nursing and healthcare technology communities. Having said that, the key benefits of going electronic are the marked reduction of unnecessary ambient noises that interfere with normal auscultation, as well as good amplification of sounds (24x times) across a fairly wide range of frequencies using various modes namely Bell, Diaphragm and Extended Range. While I have found the Littmann electronic stethoscopes extremely useful in detecting difficult to pick up murmurs (like Grade 2 or Grade 3 aortic regurgitation), its real utility lies in auscultation of abnormal lung sounds. The best overall stethoscope is the 3M Littmann Classic III. Medical, PA or NP Student. Its also latex-free and a nonchill chest piece, which is a must in direct patient care. Bear in mind that a good number of murmurs and sounds typically occur in a range of frequencies that human ears are not very sensitive to. Stethoscope Best Cardiology Stethoscope, Why This Is The Recommended Stethoscope for Nurses, 3M Littmann Master Cardiology Stethoscope, Littman Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, Upgrade to a Bluetooth Stethoscope Eko Stethoscope Review 2020, Electronic Stethoscope How to Find the Best Electronic Stethoscope for You, The Best Stethoscope For Nurses The Ultimate Guide to Nurse Stethoscopes, Take the Nurse Blogging 101 online course, Pressure Injury Exudate Management Tips and Strategies. 61 Bridge Street, Kington This is according to Littmans own website(as of 9-2-16). eye Littmann CORE Digital: Our most advanced stethoscope yet, with up to40x amplification (at peak frequency, vs. analog mode), active noise cancellation and in-app sound wave visualization. All links on this site may be affiliate links and should be considered as such. sle Content on this site is for entertainment purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Yes, it does take some time to get a grip on the subtleties linked to digital auscultation. Low pitched sounds can be heard with the stethoscope diaphragm resting lightly on the patient, and are easily converted to high pitched sounds when the examiner places firm contact pressure on the stethoscope head. Littmann Electronic: Combines Ambient Noise Reduction technology and frictional noise dampening features with amplification, and Bluetooth technology for the next level of performance. Over 900 of the 1100+ reviews are 5 stars. With the aid of computers (which dont have any frequency limitation) and intelligent digital auscultation software such as Zargis StethAssist Software, medical professionals using Littman electronic stethoscopes find it a lot easier to examine pathologic sounds and murmurs with great accuracy. Understanding the working parts, the differences in performance, and the best use situations of each permit nurses to perform proficient and skilled patient assessments. The tubing is durable and can easily be folded and put in a lab jacket pocket. With the Bluetooth tech built into this stethoscope, you can wirelessly transfer and view sounds in real-time as you auscultate your patient. Although recommended for non-critical care settings, the excellent acoustics and reasonable price give it the top spot. How Can a Nurse Provide Emotional Support? What kind of stethoscope do you prefer? By consuming any of our content, you agree that you will hold us harmless for actions you made as the result of the data. As a nurse, you are the first line of defense and you dont want to be uncertain. genetic disease anticancer Accessories & parts. dementia Littmann Classic II Pediatric: Specially designed for use on smaller patients for physical assessment, monitoring, and diagnosis. Tube: 28 inch, Y shaped single lumen tube. The nurse role evolved, and nurses now perform complex examinations and are skilled diagnosticians. Its going to be great not having to take manual BPs with those plasticky throwaway stethescopes they stock on the unit (were in psych, so its not standard for nurses to bring their own stethescopes to work). Dont get me wrong, I LOVED my Cardiology III (until it grew legs and walked off), but either the title, or the picture, or both are incorrect. Most higher-performing stethoscopes have a double lumen in a single tube from the diaphragm to the earpieces, allowing for improved sound quality. No,any cardiologist or specialist with a trained ear will be able to perceive the difference. Digital or electronic stethoscopes allow ambient noise filtration and heart and lung sound recordings. Liven up any shift with a fun game of bingo. CML However, is their acoustic as great as in the Cardiology series models? diabetes Exam The 3M Littmann Classic III is less than $120, and over 90% of almost 43,000 Amazon customers rated five stars. Littmann Master Classic II: Ideal for medical professionals to detect, listen to, and study heart, lung, and other body sounds for physical assessment and diagnosis. The Littmann Digital Core stethoscope costs about $350, and the Eko subscription for heart sound analysis and recording expenses costs up to $720 per year. The 3M Littmann brand of Stethoscope is famous worldwide for its accuracy and durability. There are no Amazon reviews available for this brand, but quality scores are high with other retailers. Most doctors and nurses usually do not need anything better than this. The 3M Littmann Classic II S.E. The tube length is a personal preference. Here are some of my favorite things about it. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. If you are going to get one, the 3M Littmann Classic II S.E. See our disclaimer for more information. arthritis The bell is covered with a removable diaphragm, perfect for pediatric patients, and protects the bell from dust and debris. This model is appropriate for the widest variety of situations. healthy skin The headset, again, in terms of the springing and weight, there is very little difference between the two Littman stethoscopes. psoriasis And, the noise attenuation is right on the money so you can be sure that you will hear only what you want to hear. This is a great advantage because you can do enough analysis to differentiate between those sounds that should be referred for an ECG test and those that should not. What kind of stethoscope do you prefer? Ive had the pleasure to use this stethoscope on multiple occasions and always had great results. Use scenario: Critical care, Cardiology patients, Pulmonology patients, NICU. 3M Littmann classifies all stethoscopes with acoustic performance levels from six to ten. anomaly It is the most preferred Stethoscope brand in the world, enjoying the trust of more than 5 million+ medical community worldwide. Medical Doctor and Public Health Specialist with ten years of work experience in tertiary medical facilities. However, research proved that no real acoustical difference exists. Negative comments included stethoscope weight and low acoustic quality. Choosing the right model of 3M Littmann for your healthcare practice can sometimes be a little confusing, as different models have different features, depending on age groups and the nature of disease and organ involved. Required fields are marked *. Suggested users: Medical officers, medical registrars, general practitioners. Join the free Incredible Health Nurse Community to get career advice, support, and tips from experienced fellow nurses. In the 1940s, Sprague and Rappaport invented the modern stethoscope to evaluate adults and children by switching out the head size on one stethoscope. The Cardiology III is not entirely different from the Classic II: the tube length, lumen, and diameter are almost identical. 3M Littmann Classic II S.E. See ourprivacy policyfor more information. blood infection Do not submerge it in a fluid of any kind. We will never spam you. Email: admin@costamedic.com, Littmann Lightweight II S.E. Im so sorry for the confusion. There you have it- the best Littman stethoscopes in the market. What kind of stethoscope do you prefer? Not ideal for critical patients. Although many brands exist, 3M Littmann is the gold standard for nurses and other medical professionals. It was the Littmann Cardiology III Stethoscope and I have updated both the text and the photo. Cutting-edgetechnology and exceptional performance. cancer 2. Many medical device companies still produce this brand. Littmann Cardiology IV Instructions for Use. occupational lung disease headache Littmann stethoscopes are always the top choice of nurses and doctors everywhere, and nos with the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope, you dont have to debate Littmann 3200 vs Eko. This stethoscope costs less than $150 and is available in four colors. Nurses should avoid purchasing single lumen poor acoustic stethoscopes. Stethoscope tubing, made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is latex-free and easy to clean. Although more expensive than the 3M Classic III, Littmann boasts that the astute examiner using the Cardiology IV can detect subtle patient conditions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Its remarkably easy to set up and extremely user-friendly as well. Please check our other articles: www.costamedic.com/blog. Oh yeah, its a loud, loud world. You can use our online Find your stethoscope guide or you can continue reading below. There are pediatric stethoscopes for neonate (2 cm), infant (2.7 cm), and pediatric (3.3 cm) patients.