Gift for nurse - Littmann Cardiology III or Master Cardiology?

[chuckman]

Exactly. Is she ever even going to be listening to heart sounds at all? Or looking for a carotid bruit? No. Bowel sounds and breath sounds. That's it.

Our CCU nurses know heart sounds better than most of the residents. Aside from that unit, breath sounds and bowel sounds.

I still think the basic Littman plus $$ towards a nice pair of shoes. The shoes, she will use the hell out of 'em. I think I have put close to a grand in footwear just for work since I left EMS for nursing in 2003.

[ST911]

The cardiology III is nice but you can purchase 2 Classic 2 SE for the same price. I have been workign as a Paramedic for about 20 years and the Classic II's have served me well. I generally buy then in the less popular colors (ie Purple or others) and have them engraved so that if it grows legs, it is earier to pick out around someone else's neck. -Mike.

Classic 2 SE is value-packed. Great s-scope, great price.

On the colors... Everyone seems to be buying the off colors these days to discourage theft. Trouble is, everyone has them, and they're not so easy to pick out. (See also: colored handcuffs). Engraving is a must.

[WS6]

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

I have a cardiac Litman, I don't know the model because oddly, it is not on mine (wierd).

Everyone who has borrowed it is amazed at how clear it sounds.

That said, both "sides" have their uses. The bell is used to listen for carotid bruits, IIRC from school.

I say IIRC, because I have never needed to use it for such in the 1.5 years I have spend in SICU and Stepdown. Not to say it isn't good, but I never felt lacking.

The main thing I use it for:

Listening to CABG's to make sure there isn't anything going on that shouldn't be (had a guy with some internal bleeding, didn't even need a scope to hear that.).
Listening to breath/bowel sounds (95% of its use).
Listening to abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Listening to mechanical heart-valves.
Listening to AV grafts
Listening for S1S2 and making sure there are no extraneous sounds
Listening to crepitus

It is not within my skillset to diagnose mild murmurs, etc. and they did not teach us to listen for them in school, nor did I learn at this point in my career.

Classic 2 SE is value-packed. Great s-scope, great price.

On the colors... Everyone seems to be buying the off colors these days to discourage theft. Trouble is, everyone has them, and they're not so easy to pick out. (See also: colored handcuffs). Engraving is a must.

Mine is black tubing, and engraved. Huge +1 on engraving. I have maintained ownership of it for my entire career, short it may be to this point, and am quite proud as I am forever losing things.

[WS6]

Our CCU nurses know heart sounds better than most of the residents. Aside from that unit, breath sounds and bowel sounds.

I still think the basic Littman plus $$ towards a nice pair of shoes. The shoes, she will use the hell out of 'em. I think I have put close to a grand in footwear just for work since I left EMS for nursing in 2003.

+1 on the shoes. I use New Balance and replace them every 6 months. Not because I wear them out, but because I finally freak out over all the isolation rooms I have been in, piss and blood I have stepped in, and all that and just can't stand to own them anymore.

[Texas42]

Classic 2 SE is value-packed. Great s-scope, great price.

On the colors... Everyone seems to be buying the off colors these days to discourage theft. Trouble is, everyone has them, and they're not so easy to pick out. (See also: colored handcuffs). Engraving is a must.

+1

I like mine a lot (as a 4th year medical student). I have a more expensive one, but I leave it at home. Really, unless your a cardiologist, you don't need fancy.

I do like having a bell, at least as a student, I don't get heckled as much by the cardiologist. And it helps for hearing S4's.

[SteepandDeep]

Dear Dude,

Get I have a Littman Cardiology III. Great sound, but the length of the tube from the bell to the ears is a little short. Get the LONGER tubed one. Some patients you really don't want to be that close to their face/chest/body etc.

The shorter tube gives marginally better sound supposedly. I doubt I could tell the difference.

Great gift, it will last them a lifetime.

[drsal]

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).

I didn't think a surgeon even knew what a stethoscope was

[Hmac]

I didn't think a surgeon even knew what a stethoscope was

Bowel sounds and breath sounds. A stethoscope allows me to avoid laying my ear on the patient's tummy.

But it's true, I use bedside ultrasound far more often than I use a stethoscope.

[citizensoldier16]

My experience is 10 years in EMS...so take this with a grain of salt if your purchase is for a floor nurse. The Classic II is by far the best of the Littman scopes for a less-than-Cardiologist provider. You get great tone, plus its very sensitive for listening to lung sounds, bowel sounds, and for taking blood pressures. Anything above that is more geared towards Cardiologists needing to discern the difference between S1-S4 and beyond. If your nurse friend doesn't know what that is...it's a waste of money.

A word of caution: stay AWAY from the Littman Lightweight. It has aluminum arms versus steel and these tend to bend very easily when the scope is stuffed into pockets or bags. Also...tell your RN friend NOT to hang the scope over the rearview mirror in the car. This is the medical equivalent to having 100 dashlights in your car or a big DPMS sticker on the back of your truck. It screams "I'm a douche and want everyone to think I'm a hot shit doctor!"

I've owned 3 Classic IIs in my 10 years in EMS...and I won't purchase any other scope.

[WS6]

My experience is 10 years in EMS...so take this with a grain of salt if your purchase is for a floor nurse. The Classic II is by far the best of the Littman scopes for a less-than-Cardiologist provider. You get great tone, plus its very sensitive for listening to lung sounds, bowel sounds, and for taking blood pressures. Anything above that is more geared towards Cardiologists needing to discern the difference between S1-S4 and beyond. If your nurse friend doesn't know what that is...it's a waste of money.

A word of caution: stay AWAY from the Littman Lightweight. It has aluminum arms versus steel and these tend to bend very easily when the scope is stuffed into pockets or bags. Also...tell your RN friend NOT to hang the scope over the rearview mirror in the car. This is the medical equivalent to having 100 dashlights in your car or a big DPMS sticker on the back of your truck. It screams "I'm a douche and want everyone to think I'm a hot shit doctor!"

I've owned 3 Classic IIs in my 10 years in EMS...and I won't purchase any other scope.

I have a cardiac model Littman, and for my purposes, it does "go to waste", but it was a gift, so I smile!

I especially like your advice in red. I have actually seen a car parked at my hospital with those mail-box letters on it "RN".

SERIOUSLY!?

I have no idea why some nurses see fit to whore their profession out all over facebook with "somewhere a nurse is getting thrown up on..." posts, Stethoscopes over the mirror, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my career and am proud of it, but it almost looks like they are trying to convince THEMSELVES of those feelings.

*Sorry for the rant*

I didn't think a surgeon even knew what a stethoscope was

Surgeons at my hospital do indeed use the stethoscope often. Probably the biggest proponent of that instrument is a renal doctor, oddly enough. Very OCD, but extremely thorough with their patients. Good guy.