Stethescopes

aandjmayne

aandjmayne

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Just a general curiosity question... Which stethescopes do yall think is best? I am in the market as I am going to start emt school soon and wanted to get a general consensus on what yall think is best for the job... especially when trying to take vitals en route Thanks :)
 
There are many options to choose from. Do a search on here. There have been many discussions on them already.
 
aandjmayne said:
especially when trying to take vitals en route
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Practice taking B/P by palpation. There will be plenty of times where it's way too noisy or bumpy to hear anything even with the best set of ears on.
 
aandjmayne said:
Just a general curiosity question... Which stethescopes do yall think is best? I am in the market as I am going to start emt school soon and wanted to get a general consensus on what yall think is best for the job... especially when trying to take vitals en route Thanks :)
Click to expand...
search.gif

Where is the fine line between bring up dead threads and new threads that have been discussed to death?

DO A SEARCH, read the Ambulances and Equipment forum, do SOMETHING!
 
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Sorry.... Still new here.. Wont ask already asked questions anymore.. :blink:
 
thanks for the advice Code 3... I'll have to learn that.. Louisiana's got the worst roads in the world.. (my opinion) B)
 
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Sorry-- I was brash in my response earlier.
Welcome to EMTLife, feel free to introduce yourself on the new introduction thread in EMS Lounge.
A little background on the "climate" on this forum. Recently, we have had many discussions about stethoscopes-- preferred brands, tips for BPs, etc, as well as the recurrence of topics discussed to death in the past.
Please, search for the word "stethoscope"-- and you will find many threads on that topic. If you have something original to add, feel free to contribute, but try to hold back adding only agreements with previous statements.

again, welcome to the forum, and enjoy your time here.
 
Thanks.. and I'll keep the above-mentioned in mind next time I have a question ;)
 
aandjmayne said:
thanks for the advice Code 3... I'll have to learn that.. Louisiana's got the worst roads in the world.. (my opinion) B)
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You're welcome. It's basically taking someone's B/P without the use of a stethoscope. You will learn this technique in class, however, I'll give you a brief run-down so you may practice @ home if you have your own B/P kit.

First, place the B/P cuff over the arm as you normally would. Find the radial pulse and begin to inflate the cuff. When you feel the radial pulse go away, continue to inflate the cuff another 30mmHG and then slowly release the air. When you feel the radial pulse return, this is your systolic number. You do not get a diastolic reading when doing B/P by palpation. In addition, your systolic number will tend to be lower when doing it by palpation instead of auscultation. You would document this B/P reading as 120/P.
 
If you haven't even started basic class my recommendation would be to buy the cheapest one you can find or maybe your school will have some in the classroom you can learn on. If you can get a BP on a $2 scope you can get one on a $200 scope but if you only learn on your $200 scope you might not be able to hear it when you lose that one and are stuck with the cheap one in the rig. .02
 
BP by palp is not an alternative to learning how to take a good solid blood pressure reading in the back of a rig. It's a skill and sometimes a useful one but is in my opinion over used by those unsure of their BP skills.

When taking a blood pressure in the back of the rig, make sure the stethoscope is firmly seated in your ears. Make sure that your pressure against the pulse site is firm and your arm or the pt's arm isn't thumping against the gurney or other equipment.

I've heard that lifting your feet off the floor of the rig helps but I seem to have a better time with that than I do with my feet on the gurney.

Practice learning the basic skill first before jumping to an easier method with less accurate results.
 
I wouldn't spend too much on a good scope just yet. Wait until you're through your course and are working in the field. By this time you should be ready to make the investment in a good scope. Plus, you'll have ample opportunities to try out your coworker's scopes, and you'll know what suits you best.
 
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