Professional Soldiers ® - View Single Post - Auscultation of cardiac sounds in prehospital environment?

Maple Flag · 06-15-2005, 11:34

The answers are consistent, and they are what I suspected.

Firebeef, I use the word "diagnosis" with some caution, and only with "provisional" put in front. I'm well aware that diagnosis is not done in the field, at least by me. My question was more aimed at those who might be in a position to make a diagnosis, provisional or otherwise. I also agree that nothing I'm going to hear in a stethescope is going to change what I do (O2, CPR, AED, patient's ASA and nitro, depending on what's going on.). Lastly, your ALS cert trumps my lowly BLS cert, so I would consider you more advanced. Further, I only go out on infrequent calls, as I am a full time security manager. I (try to) make up for my experience gap with tons of reading, courses, and studying while I'm still wrestling with a career transition to EMS.

Eagle5US, thanks for the feedback. As for ears, almost everyone I've spoken to steered me toward the Littmann Master Cardio, so I've got one on order. I declined on the electronic steths (too much money to be banging about in the field, and I generally prefer things that don't require batteries).

Somedic, thanks for the feedback, and I agree (as above) that auscultating heart sounds would not change what I do at my level of cert. I'm just trying to improve my knowledge and skills always (which is why I'm taking this course to begin with). As for looking glamorous, I'll leave that to buff folks in their 20's who do beer commercial ads in their spare time. I'm just trying to have the best understanding of the work as I can.

My purpose here was to see if these skills discussed in the course were worth practicing if I'm to move up in the area of pre-hospital care. Sounds like they may be useful, but not in the pre-hospital care environment.

Thanks for the commentary folks. It was helpful.

06-15-2005, 11:34	#5
Maple Flag Auxiliary Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Canada, when I have nowhere else to be. Posts: 91	The answers are consistent, and they are what I suspected. Firebeef, I use the word "diagnosis" with some caution, and only with "provisional" put in front. I'm well aware that diagnosis is not done in the field, at least by me. My question was more aimed at those who might be in a position to make a diagnosis, provisional or otherwise. I also agree that nothing I'm going to hear in a stethescope is going to change what I do (O2, CPR, AED, patient's ASA and nitro, depending on what's going on.). Lastly, your ALS cert trumps my lowly BLS cert, so I would consider you more advanced. Further, I only go out on infrequent calls, as I am a full time security manager. I (try to) make up for my experience gap with tons of reading, courses, and studying while I'm still wrestling with a career transition to EMS. Eagle5US, thanks for the feedback. As for ears, almost everyone I've spoken to steered me toward the Littmann Master Cardio, so I've got one on order. I declined on the electronic steths (too much money to be banging about in the field, and I generally prefer things that don't require batteries). Somedic, thanks for the feedback, and I agree (as above) that auscultating heart sounds would not change what I do at my level of cert. I'm just trying to improve my knowledge and skills always (which is why I'm taking this course to begin with). As for looking glamorous, I'll leave that to buff folks in their 20's who do beer commercial ads in their spare time. I'm just trying to have the best understanding of the work as I can. My purpose here was to see if these skills discussed in the course were worth practicing if I'm to move up in the area of pre-hospital care. Sounds like they may be useful, but not in the pre-hospital care environment. Thanks for the commentary folks. It was helpful.
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