I recently posted a new episode over at the Nursing Show on the different adventitious lung sounds heard during auscultation.  If you are looking for a few auscultation tips check it out.  We need to constantly practice things like how to use a stethoscope correctly.

How often do you listen to patients completely in all lung fields?  Listening to breath sounds is an important part of any medical assessment.  Know what it is that you are listening to is important, too.  The only way to do that is to develop a habit of listening to EVERYBODY.

What do I mean by everybody?  Well, I include patients in that of course.  However, I also include you spouse or significant other, your kids, your partners on the ambulance, your instructors and anyone else you can convince to sit still for a quick listen.  The more lungs you listen to, the more you will learn to hear when there is something wrong with one of your patients.

The next time someone you know complains of a cold or chest congestion, ask to have a listen.  You might just pick up something new.

SWEET!