Emergency medicine professionals deliver medical care when and where we don’t normally expect it. EMTs and paramedics utilize stethoscopes to assess breath sounds, evaluate blood pressures, and detect life in individuals who might otherwise have been considered dead. These assessments occur in the homes, streets, and neighborhoods of our communities. They occur in the back of an ambulance, under the rotors of helicopters above us, and in the tattered remains of overturned cars on the interstate. Far removed from the technology and equipment of the hospital these lifesavers need to have a stethoscope that works when they need it do, and that can withstand the high-impact high-pace of emergency medical work.
The best stethoscopes for EMTs and paramedics need to address four main criteria:
- Durability
- Ease of cleaning
- Ease of use
- Noise reduction
Based on the rigorous use and harsh environments encounted by EMS personnel my recommendation for anyone working in emergency medicine is either the Omron Sprague Rappaport, Littman Cardiology III or Littmann Classic III. These stethoscopes fit the above requirements best.
