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Golden Tips To Find The Best Stethoscope
Do you know anything about a stethoscope – one of the most important medical instruments?
It’s mainly used for hearing sounds coming forth from the internal organs of a person’s body (i.e. lungs or heart). Besides, it can be used for listening to blood flow and bowel sounds. In order to use the best stethoscope properly, you need to pay attention to some golden tips that I’m going to mention below. Take a look right now!
How Do You Use A Stethoscope?
Fundamentally, you have to put on earpieces so that they can form an airtight seal with your ears. This will block noises from the outside and make you concentrate or obviously listen to the sounds coming forth from the internal organs. Check out some pointers to understand more!
- Once putting the earpieces in your ears, please move them in such a way that they point gently forward. Often, the ear tubes will be placed at an angle of 150 so that the earpieces will line up with the ear canal. Make sure that the earpieces are a snug fit
- When putting the earpieces on appropriately, you will not hear any external noise. Of course, you are able to find small or large sized earpieces on the market. Choose the best ones for you
- Don’t forget to examine the earpieces on a regular basis. Remember to search for cracks. Additionally, it’s extremely important to clean them in such a way that auscultation is not influenced by the accretion of dirt or lint or earwax
- Hold the chest piece in the right manner between the index and middle fingers of your dominant hand. Don’t place your fingertips on the edge of the bell or diaphragm because it will lead to noise and affect your ability to hear sounds from the internal organs. Also, ensure that the stethoscope tube will not rub against the patient’s skin
- In case that you’re using a double-sided stethoscope that has a diaphragm and bell, you should rotate the chest piece. If the bell is open, the diaphragm will be closed and vice versa. It makes sure that the sound doesn’t come through other part, stops the noise and permits doctors to listen to high/low frequency sounds correctly
- In case you are using a tunable stethoscope, please move the chest piece in a half circle. When listening to a click, tap the diaphragm and bell to examine which one of them is open
- Ensure that the parts of the check piece are not close in order to look for damage
- Do not bump the tube (the tube that goes from the chest piece to the headset) while checking the patient with the stethoscope
- Putting the diaphragm or the bell on the bare skin will also prevent any noise interference that might occur because of the combination of sounds from the body and clothes
Finally, it’s crucial to clean the stethoscope to ensure the optimal acoustic performance as well as diminishing the danger of communication of pathogens.
How To Select The Quality Stethoscope?
You need to remember four main factors in buying a stethoscope: quality, acoustics, durability and versatility. Besides, you should take notice of other factors to be assured of the best one for yourself.
- Sensitivity
Sensitivity to sound of the stethoscope is very critical. Most quality tools come with a tunable diaphragm and bell that can help the nurse hear all the frequencies of sounds in the body without rotating the device. Although it can be a little expensive, it will work better.
- Types of stethoscope
According to your needs, you can pick the most suitable one.
There are two main kinds, acoustic and electronic. Although you can also get a digital model, these two products are the most commonly used.
Acoustic stethoscope – The diaphragm will catch high frequencies while the bell will focus on the lower ones. The diaphragm will detect high frequencies while the bell will focus on the lower ones. It’s highly effective but the only problem is that the elaboration of some sounds might be unclear and perplexing.
Electric stethoscope – This type might amplify the quality of the sound almost 10 times so that it can bring about the best effective sound quality. It often features an equalizer to control different sound parameters and noise filters that permit the doctors/nurses to listen to only relevant sounds. Besides, it provides a comprehensive range of higher and lower frequencies that can offer you clear, sharp and specific sounds.
- Frequency range
Paying attention to the frequency range will affect highly the field of specialization that you select in the future. For instance, if you want to use the stethoscope for cardiology, you need the largest range of frequencies to identify even a small problem with the heart. If you’ll be using it for common issues, a slight frequency range is the ideal choice.
- Strength of the tubes
You should know that the length and structure of the tubes need to be suitable and perfect in terms of size (neither long nor short). Importantly, it has to be made up of a strong and flexible material. The best stethoscope needs to be a short length with thick walls to diminish external disturbances. It should have a high internal diameter and dual tubes.
- Well-fitting earpiece
Don’t overlook the fit of the earpiece when looking for a stethoscope. Ensure that it fits comfortably and easily in your ears in such a way that all other noises are silenced. Please try it until finding the most appropriate one; otherwise, it will make you feel uncomfortable and painful.
- Cost
Normally, a stethoscope will start from $50 but they can go up as high as about $300 depending on the quality and features. Choose one that is of sound quality but satisfies your needs as a nurse, technician or doctor.
Don’t forget that the stethoscope is a very important medical tool. You can use it to diagnose your patient’s illness. Choose the best one that can last you for a long time as your best friend.