Know Your Stethoscope

Steth Anatomy

1. Headsetmetal part where tubing is fitted; has 2 eartubes, tension springs, and the ear-tips. Some angled to wearer’s ear canals. The eartube tension is adjustable

2. EartipSoft-sealing eartips offer increased comfort while wearing.

3. Eartube (or binural)The eartube is the part to which the ear-tips are attached.

4. Tunable Diaphragm

A traditional stethoscope consists of a bell and a

diaphragm. The bell is used with light skin

contact to hear low frequency sounds and the

diaphragm is used with firm skin contact to hear

high frequency sounds. Littmann stethoscope’s

patented tunable diaphragm technology

alternates between bell and diaphragm modes

with a simple pressure change on the chest-

piece. Use light contact to hear low frequency

sounds. Press firmly for high frequency sounds.

5. StemThe stem connects the stethoscope tubing to the chest-piece.

6. TubingThis connects the stem to the binurals & allows sound to be transferred from the chest piece to the ear pieces. Usually rubber or latex or PVC based

7. Chest-pieceis the part of the stethoscope that is placed on the location where the user wants to hear sound. The large side can be used for adult patients, while the small side is especially useful for paediatric or thin patients, around bandages and for carotid assessment.

Basic Heart Anatomy

1. From the body through the veins – BLUE (dirty blood – deoxygenatedblood)2. Enters through superior and inferior vena cava3. Right Atrium4. Through the Tricuspid Valve5. Into Right Ventricle

6. Through Pulmonary Valve7. Into Pulmonary Artery8. Out to Lungs – changes to RED9. Back to heart via Pulmonary Vein10. Into Left Atrium11. Through Bicuspid Valve12. Into Left Ventricle13. Through Aortic Valve

14. Into Aorta15. Back to body via Arteries

Sternal Angle

Pulse Sites