[cougarnurse]

:houra: Glad to hear it, dj! I know for a fact that, nowadays, students in my area are required to be CNA's before hitting the floor
clinical-wise. Probably because there is soooo much to learn 'LPN/RN' wise....

Hope your wife drops by the forum; we'd love to have her here, too!

'Cat'

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by djmac

I am trying to help my wife out. ... The way she describes her problem is that she hears her own pulse in the stethoscope instead of the patients...
Dan

How about asking her to check and make sure she is not touching the diaphram part of the scope with her fingers but rather holding the end like a pen, just before the bell?

Also, tell her to ditch the scope for a second and place her fingers where the scope would be and to feel for a pulse. Once she has a pulse have her inflate the cuff until beyond where she can feel the pulse. Next have her slowly deflate the cuff-->at the point she feels the pulse returns ought to give her a great idea of where this patients Systolic pressure is.

Now she also knows exactly where the pulse to place the scope on is and (also don't forget to make sure that the part that leads to the head is turned open to the side she is putting down on to the patient). If she is unsure which side of her scope head is open have her put the earpeices in and tap on one side then tap on the other, this should give her a GOOD indication as to which side of the scope the piece is listening to. If she puts her fingers over the open side then she is only going to hear her own pulse too.

Give us an update, okay?
Gen

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by djmac

Good News! I found a digital scope with volume control and she said it works great. Thanks for all your helpful comments.

Hi,
A digital scope with volume control?

I like the volume control but, what is the digital part?

Gen

[djmac]

Originally Posted by Gennaver

Hi,
A digital scope with volume control?

I like the volume control but, what is the digital part?

Gen

I don't know the precise technology involved but the somehow this battery operated steth amplifies the sound as much or as little as you need. Even the amount of tension place on you ears by the ear piece is adjustable.