amplified stehoscopes

[ombrerose4]

I am hoping someone out there can give me some help. I am three weeks post op and hoping to return to nursing school for my final year at the end of January. I have SSD on the left side and know I will need a special stethoscope to help me. There are so many out there and they are very expensive. Before I make this purchase I would like to know if there are any nurses, doctors or other healthcare professionals who can advise me on the best stethoscope for SSD. 

[Cheryl R]

I ony used a regular stethoscope but was my own one.      I did not even have one of those super expensive ones.      I was fine with the SSD but I later was losing my hearing on my other side too and had to be more careful.     Lung sounds esp.       I eventually had to retire but my last AN surgery improved the hearing on that side.     I have stayed retired as running up and down a hall all day would have me boucing off the walls.       I could get by with the hearing.                        I know another nurse who had SSD too where I worked and she used a regular one.      I didn't know she had problems till someone else mentiond it.
  So might be trial and error for what works best for you.             Good luck with school.     The hardest part was locating in which room an IV was beeping!                                   Cheryl R

[Esperanza]

Hello,
Good for you returning to your studies!  I am a student too.
Do you have hearing loss in your other ear?  I am SSD (also on the left!) and manage fine with a normal stethoscope - I have no problem with
hearing the Korotkoff sounds in my good ear (or any other sound through one for that matter) - fortunately the hearing in that ear is very good!  There are more SSD health professionals out there than you think  
Best wishes
x

[amymeri]

I have the Littman Master Cardiology http://www.allheart.com/2163-65.html   and find it perfectly fine for my regular family practice days.  If I was a cardiologist or listening to little neonate hearts I might invest in an amplified stethoscope, but for my regular practice I haven't needed one.  I do have excellent hearing in my other ear so have little or no trouble hearing murmurs, rales, wheezing, etc.

If your hearing is good in your other ear, you might consider just using a regular one and see if that works before investing in an expensive amplified one.

One tip is to get a shorter stethoscope.  A shorter (22") tube is better for hearing optimally.