Happy Nurse Practitioner Week! It’s time to celebrate the hard work we put into our careers as NPs an reflect back on our professional accomplishments. As NPs, we are an integral part of our healthcare system, especially as a shortage of physicians presents itself. For nurse practitioners, this means an increasing role and responsibility for patient care, one we have and continue to step up to fill. So, pat yourself on the back today if you’re a practicing or aspiring NP.
Each November we come together celebrate this exceptional profession and the 222,000 nurse practitioners across the country during National NP Week. National Nurse Practitioner Week is all about boosting awareness and educating the public about the role of NPs, as well as showing appreciation for the NP profession. This year we’re teaming up with another clinician-founded company, Medelita, to give back to NPs by upgrading one of the most important tools of the trade: the stethoscope.
To show appreciation for nurse practitioners, three lucky Midlevel U readers will receive an ERKA stethoscope for nurses from Medelita in honor of National NP Week.
Though ERKA is relatively new to the US, the German brand is already well-known in Europe and Asia for the meticulous quality and exceptional performance of their medical instruments. With over 150 years experience handcrafting these marvelous tools, ERKA offers several models of stethoscopes that are FDA-approved and now available in the US for the first time.
ERKA stethoscopes are ideal for a nurse practitioner who wants to practice at peak performance. Each ERKA model is closely comparable to a Littmann model that you are already probably familiar with, but there are three major differences that set apart the ERKA stethoscope from its Littmann comparison.
- Better value. The ERKA Finesse, Precise, and Sensitive are comparable to their Littmann counterparts: Classic III, Cardiology IV, and Master Cardiology. Both come with solid warranties that show the manufacturer stands behind the quality of the item. However, the ERKA models comes at a lower price point than Littmann, but with better sound quality. ERKA stethoscopes also come with their own stethoscope carrying case, whereas with Littmann you must purchase the carrying case separately for around $10 plus shipping/handling.
- Durability. The chestpiece of the stethoscope is an essential part of the piece of equipment, but it must be sealed airtight or else the diaphragm won’t work properly. Littmann stethoscopes have their diaphragm sealed to the chestpiece with a PVC rubber ring, which will become brittle and eventually crack over time as it comes into contact with the oils produced by human skin. This renders the stethoscope essentially useless. In contrast, the chestpiece of ERKA stethoscopes are sealed internally, with the rubber ring added only for comfort. Therefore if the rubber ring of an ERKA stethoscope falls off, it’s still durable enough to continue using and avoid replacement right away.
- More hygienic. The metal parts of ERKA stethoscopes are made with chrome-polished brass, a better quality material than the stainless steel used by Littmann. Compared to stainless steel, chrome is far less porous and therefore carries less bacteria. This is an important difference that makes ERKA stethoscopes more hygienic than other stethoscopes.
To pay recognition to the NP role and support those nurse practitioners who devote their lives to the health of millions of Americans, Medelita is giving three ThriveAP readers an ERKA stethoscope of their own as a symbol of gratitude for the work they do.
Enter to win by emailing thriveap@thriveap.com or by posting a comment below (including your email address) with the reason you could use a new stethoscope to ring in National Nurse Practitioner Week!