Gift for nurse - Littmann Cardiology III or Master Cardiology?

[QuietShootr]

Would a nurse appreciate a Master Cardiology, or is there something about the double-sided III that would make it better for a nurse?

[kiwi57]

I'm not being facetious. What's the intended use? Will he/she be using it during training and beyond in a variety of settings? Or is the recipient already practicing in a specialized area of nursing?

I would recommend the Master Cardiology only if the intended recipient is working exclusively in adult cardiology (and plans to do so for many years into the future).

For virtually every other setting, I'd recommend the Cardiology III. It is more versatile (meets the needs of pediatric and adult patients) and is extremely accurate/comfortable for the user.

Also, unless you want the gift to be a surprise, you might want to ask the recipient what model they would prefer. Either way, it is a thoughtful gift and will provide many years, if not decades of use if properly cared for.

kiwi57

[lethal dose]

I like the master classic, myself. That said, I've known some people to have better luck with $30 devices. Stethescopes are like bicycles... not always one size fits all. Ymmv.

[ST911]

I've had great service from my Master Cardiology. If I were buying another at that level, I'd get the Cardiology III.

[Hmac]

It depends a lot on what kind of nursing we're talking about. For most floor, ICU, or ER nurses, their stethoscope needs are breath sounds, bowel sounds, and (rarely these days) taking blood pressures. A $30 basic Littman is more than enough and anything beyond that is pretty much overkill. That doesn't take into account the symbolism of a higher-level stethoscope as a nice gift, but from a practical standpoint a nurse's stethoscope needs are pretty low-level.

[montanadave]

Back in the day, I bought myself a Master Cardiology. And don't get me wrong, it's a good stethoscope.

But the Cardiology III (or even the Classic II) would have been more versatile and served me better working in a variety of clinical settings.

[chuckman]

It depends a lot on what kind of nursing we're talking about. For most floor, ICU, or ER nurses, their stethoscope needs are breath sounds, bowel sounds, and (rarely these days) taking blood pressures. A $30 basic Littman is more than enough and anything beyond that is pretty much overkill. That doesn't take into account the symbolism of a higher-level stethoscope as a nice gift, but from a practical standpoint a nurse's stethoscope needs are pretty low-level.

Yes, this. Save the extra $$ and augment a good $30 Littman with some other gifts. An analogy might be buying a new Porsche for a 16 year-old getting his driver's licence. A nice car but way more than he needs.

[ST911]

One of the best scopes I've used was a $50 something or other, with a clear rubber covering enclosing the back of the bell. Great acoustics, quiet in the bus.

I view my stethescopes like I view my pocket knives. I want them of sufficient quality to do what I need, but not so expensive that they can't be readily and inexpensively replaced.

[Hmac]

I've been a surgeon for a long, long time. I don't think I even own a stethoscope. (I might actually own one, but I'm not clear on where it is at the moment).

[kiwi57]

Hmac,

Re:

"I've been a surgeon for a long, long time. I don't think I even own a stethoscope. (I might actually own one, but I'm not clear on where it is at the moment)."


May I have permission to use this quote?

Thanks,

kiwi57