Projects Underway

The stethoscope is one of the most important tools for listening to heart, lung, and other body sounds. Teaching auscultatory skills with current equipment is cumbersome. With one diaphragm and two headsets, there is close, almost uncomfortable physical proximity between the student, the faculty, and the patient. Sound quality is poor and faculty must be present with every student, at every patient assessment in order to know what the student is hearing. The Eko stethoscope brings together Bluetooth connectivity, mobile applications, visualization of sounds, real time streaming, and sound recording to allow enhanced playback and listening for heart, lung, and other body sounds. The purpose of this study is to increase accuracy and proficiency of auscultatory skills in pre-licensure nurses through use of a Bluetooth connected stethoscope. Auscultation skills are vital in patient assessment and recognition of problematic sounds can lead to timely interventions that prevent poor patient outcomes.