What it means
The basic listening tool for auscultationaws-kul-TAY-shunListening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.Full entry . Sound travels from the chest piece through tubing to the earpieces. The chest piece has two sides: the flat diaphragmDY-uh-framThe dome-shaped sheet of muscle under the lungs that is the main muscle of breathing; also the flat side of a stethoscope.Full entry , pressed firmly, picks up high-pitched sounds such as normal heart, lung and bowel sounds; the cup-shaped bell, held lightly, picks up low-pitched sounds such as some murmurs.
For the nurse
Listen on bare skin, not through clothing. Clean the chest piece between clients; use a dedicated stethoscope for clients on contact precautions.
At a glance
| Spanish | estetoscopio |
|---|---|
| Also written | stethoscopes |
Related terms
auscultation
Listening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.
diaphragm
The dome-shaped sheet of muscle under the lungs that is the main muscle of breathing; also the flat side of a stethoscope.
physical examination
A head-to-toe or focused check of the body using looking, feeling, tapping and listening.
murmur
An extra whooshing or swishing sound heard with a stethoscope over the heart, made by turbulent blood flow.