Listen first
Results from an independent survey conducted online from July 9–22, 2025, gathering insights from 350 US physicians, nurses, and medical students, all of whom currently use or have used Littmann® Stethoscopes in clinical practice. The study explored the role of listening in modern medicine, generational perspectives, and the ongoing importance of auscultation in patient care.
KEY FINDINGS
The stethoscope continues to be a critical tool in clinical practice.
- Listening as a first responsibility: 92% of clinicians agree their first role is to listen and understand before diagnosing.
- Diagnostic impact: 89% have identified critical conditions through auscultation, including heart murmurs, pneumothorax, and congenital defects.
- Barriers to listening: Time constraints (73%), and high patient volume (53%) are the top challenges limiting clinicians’ ability to fully listen to patients.
Nearly 9 in 10 clinicians have detected critical conditions through listening
Critical conditions identified through listening
“I identified an extremely low, abnormal heart rate in an infant who was otherwise well appearing and transitioning to ex-uterine life appropriately. Infant had undiagnosed heart block secondary to maternal medications. I was able to identify an issue in an otherwise well appearing infant and make clinical decisions about admission to NICU.”
“I often hear murmurs in neonatal patients, but a great stethoscope can help discern between an innocent murmur and something more serious such as Tetralogy of Fallot or valve regurgitation. I feel every clinician should have their own stethoscope that they are used to using regularly. In a few cases, I have identified a cardiac defect that was missed on fetal ECHO and resulted in escalation of care and transport to the Children’s Hospital.”
“Spontaneous pneumothorax in a young otherwise healthy man who was riding his bicycle when he became abnormally short of breath.”
“I am a neonatologist, so I regularly diagnose heart murmurs, that are both pathological and benign. Auscultation is key in caring for patients on respiratory support of which almost all of my patients are on at some point.”
“Heard a murmur in a failure to thrive patient which ended up in an echo being performed. Then that baby was found to have coarctation of the aorta and needed emergency surgery.”
“I have used my stethoscope extensively in my work as a paramedic and medical student. The most life-threatening thing I can think of catching has been pneumothoraxes, where the stethoscope is an integral confirmation.”
While clinicians agree listening is critical, teaching auscultation is not consistent
82% of those surveyed believe it’s essential to pass down listening skills but only 47% strongly agree they actively share lessons with students.
The top two reasons the majority of respondents feel it is harder for them to fully listen to their patients are time constraints (73%) and high patient volumes (53%).
Methodology and respondent overview
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Online survey, approximately 10-15 minutes in length. |
| Respondent Qualifications | 350 clinicians surveyed in the U.S. Includes: physicians, nurses, and medical/PA students. All respondents currently use, or have previously used, a Littmann® Stethoscope in clinical practice. |
| Geography | U.S., Nationwide |
| Branding | None (blind study) |
| Incentives | Respondents were provided compensation from vendor as a “thank you” for their participation (e.g., points awarded). |
| Completed Surveys | N = 350 |
| Field Dates | July 9 – July 22, 2025 |
Respondent overview:
©2025 The Future of Listening in Medicine: A Littmann® Stethoscopes Survey (n=175 physicians, n=150 nurses and n=25 medical students, Adults 21+, English only)
For more information about Littmann® Stethoscopes, please explore Littmann.com or contact us directly.