Diagnostic Kits, Stethoscopes, etc.

[lotanna]

i was able to get a welch allyn on ebay for $280

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[Cristagali]

Do I need to carry a tuning fork on medicine rotation, or do they keep one at the nurses station? sorry...PS How often do you actaully use it?

 

[neilc]

Do I need to carry a tuning fork on medicine rotation, or do they keep one at the nurses station? sorry...PS How often do you actaully use it?

i personally have never used it in the hospital, and have only used it and seen it used rarely in the clinic...

leave it at home...bring your scope, your penlight, your pharmacopia, your washington manual and/or your scut monkey manual. and have internet access at the hospital library or nurses station. that oughta do it

 

[neilc]

oh yeah, dont forget the index cards! a

 

[Fermi]

Do I need to carry a tuning fork on medicine rotation, or do they keep one at the nurses station? sorry...PS How often do you actaully use it?

I used it on nearly every medicine admission. If you're being thorough you should include a good peripheral sensory exam, especially with all the diabetics running around these days.

 

[Hercules]

I used it on nearly every medicine admission. If you're being thorough you should include a good peripheral sensory exam, especially with all the diabetics running around these days.

You really used a tuning fork on every exam? You are the first person I have ever heard (read) of that does. I never used one outside of neuro. Travel light in the hospital. PDA, stesthoscope, index cards or paper for your patient info.

 

[Cristagali]

Ok, if I come across my inevitable, non-compliant chronic DM pt, then I'll shag down the neuro resident to borrow his/hers..the 128hz right? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Fermi]

You really used a tuning fork on every exam? You are the first person I have ever heard (read) of that does.

When I remembered to (probably 80% of the time). Two of the interns on my team were neurology prelim years, so maybe that's where the thoroughness came from. I still think it's a good thing to do, probably because, as you say, nobody else may ever do it for that patient.

However, this was during third year medicine where we would admit like 1 patient per night. Perhaps in internship you can trim things down after your 5th admission.

 

[carrigallen]

If you don't buy your own tuning fork, you may not get the chance to learn how to use it properly/gain comfort in using it. It is used for more than peripheral sensory exam - ie, it is used to check components of hearing. I would just buy one now, it is not expensive. You can always leave it at home later.

 

[Febrifuge]

Please enlighten a poor pre-med, but in terms of a hearing test: what can a tuning fork do for your exam that the sound of rubbing a thumb and two fingers together would not?

If you're talking about sensory nerves and the ability to detect vibration, then I can see where it would be way handy.

 

[neilc]

Please enlighten a poor pre-med, but in terms of a hearing test: what can a tuning fork do for your exam that the sound of rubbing a thumb and two fingers together would not?

If you're talking about sensory nerves and the ability to detect vibration, then I can see where it would be way handy.

weber and rhine (sp?) tests...the lateralization of the weber and the comparision of bone vs air conduction in rhine (or maybe it is the other way around?) can help you determine sensineuronal vs conductive hearing loss.

the other use, as you mentioned, is to determine how the vibratory sensory nerves are working, good for peripheral neuropathies.

 

[VentdependenT]

Don't be caught dead without that tuning fork or a pocket protector.

 

[Cristagali]

chimpanzees like human testicles and noses! Lesson: Don't throw a birthday party for an animal!!! And I'll get a 128hz for neuropathy. If the patient can't hear, then....(5pm) ring, ring..is the the ENT fellow?

 

[irrka]

i think i tested someone's bone/air conduction ONCE the entire medicine rotation (4 months!!!!). i did use it for peripheral neuropathy for vibr. sense, but usually you can get away with just testing fine touch and proprioception anyway, so now the tuning fork lives on the floor of my car somewhere.

 

[v-tach]

I've been wondering... What's the comparison between 3M Littmann stethoscopes and those made by WelchAllyn? Is one better than the other?

And how does ADC compare to Littmann etc?

 

[a_ditchdoc]

I was wondering if anyone would happen to know the frequency range of heart sounds? I know, it is a bit of an abstract question. The reason I am asking is because I had a mispent youth/adolescence...well, and adulthood, that encompassed much gufire, a few explosions, sirens, and three ruptured tympanic membranes. I have high frequency hearing loss above 2000hz and I have considered replacing my master cardiology with an electronic scope. Does anyone with mild hearing loss have any experience with standard vs electronic scopes?

 

[bossman1818]

I am starting medical school this fall, and I was looking forward to trying out a Sprague-Rappaport stethoscope as I hear they are excellent....however, I have heard that this product has been discontinued by philips.....any idea's why??? Is this true????

 

[Vita82]

I am starting clinicals in 2 weeks and I have been seriosly considering trading in my cheapo $20 stethescope for something a bit more respectable. I have my eye on the Litmann Classic II but all the talk on the forum makes me consider splurging on the cardeo III. Any advice?

 

[Zazoo]

go for the cardiology III! i had the classic II, but just got frustrated at hearing so little.

 

[lubnaniyya]

So has anyone used ADC or Riester oto/ophthalmoscopes and found them acceptable? I just need something passable, since we have clinical preceptorships in MS 1-2, and we have to have our own equipment since we work in underserved clinics that don't have enough to go around. But I don't want to go all-out and buy WA, since I'm poor and I need something I can lose or break and not cry over.

Thanks.

 

[jaksonbrad]

can any one compare between the riester cardiophone stethoscope and littman cardiology III stethoscope in quality please?

 

[godschosenone]

I am starting clinicals in 2 weeks and I have been seriosly considering trading in my cheapo $20 stethescope for something a bit more respectable. I have my eye on the Litmann Classic II but all the talk on the forum makes me consider splurging on the cardeo III. Any advice?

Don't let some of these posters fool you. I have a $20 cheap-o steth, and I've been ripped by attendings for having a piece of $hit. I find nothing wrong with an electronic scope if it works effectively as an instrument for you. Just because you can hear something better doesn't mean you can tell if it's a train or a rumbling PDA. Electronic is okay if it works for you. Now, as far as the flashy colors... that's all about being histrionic. See your therapist for that one.

 

[deleted109597]

Cheap ones are less likely to get stolen.
They are also easier to replace when they are stolen.
Some cheap ones are absolute crap though, and you always have to deal with people making fun of you for wearing a nursing student scope.

 

[stretch210]

what about for someone who is working in the pediatric ICU (ages 1-17), which stethoscope does everyone recommend? Thanks.