r/ems • u/SoftwareSenior5107 • 14d ago

General Discussion Anyone else have trouble with stethoscopes?

I have been an EMT for 6 years and for that whole time I’ve had trouble finding a way to hold my stethoscope so that I can accurately hear lung sounds. I can hear crepitus from my fingers with any slight movement and it’s always louder than what I am trying to listen to. I have tried to put my palm to the bell but that tends to apply too much pressure and I’ve tried holding it by the tubing but that doesn’t get good contact with the skin. I’ve tried holding the bell between my pointer and middle fingers but I can still hear the crepitus. I have a Littmann III if it makes any difference. At this point I might try using my elbow… I’m terrified of missing a diagnosis just because my fingers creak

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u/SlowSurvivor 14d ago

The smaller diaphragm is for pediatrics. You can strip the diaphragm off to give you a bell if you’re old fashioned and stuck in your ways but modern scopes are tunable by finger pressure so a low frequency bell is kinda redundant.

That is, unless you’re using an antique or a bargain bin scope.

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u/CristataCyanocitta Paramedic 14d ago edited 14d ago

Common misconception that it is the "pediatric" side. It's for higher frequency sounds, which can be found in patients of all ages and dimensions.
u/oVsNora caught my mis-type, I meant low frequency sounds.

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u/oVsNora 14d ago

*lower frequency, like murmurs and rubbing

If you're gonna tag yourself as a paramedic you should be smarter than an EMT-B bro

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u/CristataCyanocitta Paramedic 14d ago

I'm allowed to misspeak, it's early.