Hearing impaired EMT Student looking for a good Stethoscope

[DarrenA]

Hello there, I am just getting into my EMT school in a few months. I am wondering seeing as i am slightly hearing impaired if anyone uses Electronic Stethoscopes and if so what they recommend. I know I may have opened up a can of worms on the whole "stethoscope issue" but i want to ask people from the field, not from a factory or a store on what to buy. Thank you very much.
Darren

 

[Melmd]

Hello there, I am just getting into my EMT school in a few months. I am wondering seeing as i am slightly hearing impaired if anyone uses Electronic Stethoscopes and if so what they recommend. I know I may have opened up a can of worms on the whole "stethoscope issue" but i want to ask people from the field, not from a factory or a store on what to buy. Thank you very much.
Darren

What exactly is your audiometry test result? If it's moderate sensorineural hearing loss then you can still work, you can still hear from a good set of stethoscope.

 

[Medic Tim]

Hello there, I am just getting into my EMT school in a few months. I am wondering seeing as i am slightly hearing impaired if anyone uses Electronic Stethoscopes and if so what they recommend. I know I may have opened up a can of worms on the whole "stethoscope issue" but i want to ask people from the field, not from a factory or a store on what to buy. Thank you very much.
Darren

have you tried using "normal" stethoscopes?
I know a few people who are "slightly hearing impaired" and they do just fine with a halfway decent scope. littmann classic se or a master classic. At the basic level besides taking a bp you won't really use a stethoscope.

 

[EMT John]

I had a co worker that seemed to be borderline deaf (have no idea how he received his ME card) and he had one of those electronic scopes that you can change the sensitivity on. He seemed to love it. I tried it out one time and it was rediculously loud. I swear I could here every little squeak in the ambulance. Then again i don't have a hearing problem yet.

I'm sorry I dont know the name of my old co workers scope. I could describe it but I'm sure it would sound like any other one out there. When you get to your hospital time ask around and see if you can test someone's out. Or maybe find a emergency medical supply store that sells them and see if you can test them out. Those electronic ones cost a lot so I wouldn't want to buy one without testing it out first.

 

[mycrofft]

See if your school will allow you to use it.
If you have an OK regular scope, try the soft mushroom ear tips. I have roaring tinnitus and it helped me at all times, as well as canceling outside noise better. Buy a few, they wear out faster.

These are the harder ones, softer ones aren't really shiney.

 

[starbucks4511]

Litman Cardio 3. Top freakin notch. Expensive tho, too.