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Can You Hear Me Now?
We've all encountered elderly patients who couldn’t hear a word we were saying to them. They have hearing aids but can't find them or the batteries are dead, or they don't have them at all. How do to communicate with them? You have the perfect tool on your squads, sometimes it's right around your neck. That's right, your stethoscope. (This is the perfect opportunity to stress that the earpieces should always be cleaned if you’re sharing stethoscopes. Alcohol prep pads work well for this.)
After cleaning the earpieces, simply put the stethoscope into the ears of your patient, position the bell near (but not too close to) your mouth and speak normally. This trick usually works wonders as long as you test it with caution and don't talk too loudly.
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