The Not So Ordinary Stethoscope

When you visit your doctor for your annual checkup or for any other reason, there are several things that you most likely take for granted. You assume that the nurse will be wearing scrubs and will check your weight and blood pressure. You also probably assume that the doctor will come in wearing a tie and a lab coat of some kind. You might also expect that your visit will take much longer than need be. Another thing that we take for granted is that most of the nurses and doctors that we will see in our exam room or passing in the halls will be wearing a stethoscope slung around their necks. A stethoscope is a valuable tool that is used by most people in the medical field.

Stethoscopes have really come a long way since they were first invented in France in 1816. This early stethoscope was made out of wood and looked quite similar to a trumpet. A stethoscope is generally used to listen to the heart and the sounds of breathing. There are two different types of stethoscopes. Most of us are most familiar with the acoustic stethoscope. These are generally the type of stethoscope that doctors and nurses wear around their necks in addition to tall scrubs on a daily basis. The other type of stethoscope is an electronic stethoscope. These stethoscopes amplify the sounds that would normally be heard through the acoustic stethoscope. Since the stethoscope is electronic, the stethoscope could also be used to record the sounds that are being heard through the stethoscope itself. The stethoscope itself could also be wireless. An electronic stethoscope can also be used to upload the sounds onto a computer for further detailed analysis.

There is also another type of stethoscope that we generally don't think about. This stethoscope is used to listen to the heart beat of an unborn baby. A fetal stethoscope is an acoustic stethoscope that is shaped like a trumpet. When the fetal stethoscope is placed against the abdomen of the pregnant mother, you will be able to listen to that wonderful heart beating within.

When it comes to the modern stethoscope there are many different ways that you can make them personalized to stick out from all the rest. You can buy a stethoscope that has been hand painted to match your tall medium scrub pants. They even have stethoscopes that have the head in the shape of a heart just for fun. If you really want to keep your coworkers away from your stethoscope you can also have your name printed directly on the neck piece if you choose.

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