The new status symbol in the hospital is the latex free color coordinated stethoscope. These can be coordinated to match your scrubs, but are they the best stethoscope for your needs? But there’s more than fashion to consider when selecting the best stethoscope assessment tool. In this article, I’ll review the best stethoscope features, functions, and price ranges for the two major categories of stethoscopes: acoustic and electronic. Everybody knows the acoustic stethoscope, but these may not be the best stethoscope in all situations. Electronic stethoscopes are starting to become more common as the size, weight, and more importantly the price, continues to decrease.

Which is the best stethoscope you may ask? Well there are different factors and variables to take into account. To determine the best stethoscope we need to look at three different categories to break it down even further and these would be for doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists, and nurse techs. For the purposes of a physician they undoubtedly need a better quality stethoscope fro their needs. The best stethoscope for nurses and therapists would just depend on personal preference and in what specialty the nurse works in. Nurse techs could use any stethoscope but the best stethoscope for them might be one they could use if they go on to be a nurse.

Depending on what your nurse specialty is would determine which is the best stethoscope for you. A cardiac nurse in the ICU will require a nicer stethoscope than a med surg nurse on the floor. As an emergency room nurse I have used a mid range Littmann for many years and it has served me well. The best stethoscope for a nurse tech could easily be one in the lower price ranges due to the fact that they mainly take blood pressures and that task can be accomplished with disposable stethoscopes actually.

I would suggest that a nurse tech purchase a better quality stethoscope if their goal is to pursue a nursing career. But in reality, the best stethoscope is the one between your ears. A stethoscope is only as good as the user. Get good at listening for bodily sounds by practicing a lot and you can use most stethoscopes.

The best stethoscopes can vary quite a bit as far as acoustic qualities. Many factors besides your own hearing ability affect what sounds you hear. A best stethoscope can be one that keeps out more of the ambient noise so the user can focus more on physiologic sounds. The bell, tubing, and ear pieces all contribute to the quality of sound produced by the best stethoscope.

If you use a stethoscope with dual tubes make sure they have enough insulation because if they rub together that cause ambient noise. The best stethoscope will have a single tube. To determine if the dual tubes have enough insulation rub them between your thumb and forefinger. If this results in you not being able to hear physiologic sounds then its too thin, and its definitely not the best stethoscope!

So which one is the best stethoscope for you? This will all depend on your preferences and experience and what your occupation is. If you work in a hospital already use your coworkers stethoscopes if possible. If you are starting out from scratch then look through the reviews in this website. The best stethoscope will come down to your own unique ability, and how much you can afford to spend.

Looking to find the best deal on the best stethoscope? Then visit www.Buyastethoscope.com to find the best advice on the right stethoscope for you. Free reprint avaialable from: How To Determine The Best Stethoscope For Your Needs.