The start of a new year is a great time to replace all of the tools of your trade, including the stethoscope. Whether you’re still using your first stethoscope or your tenth, they all need to be replaced eventually.

The average lifespan of a well-cared-for stethoscope is about two years, but with heavy use and abuse, its durability diminishes. Practitioners of all skill levels and ranks will find that they need to replace their stethoscopes much more often, sometimes within a year or less.

There are a few things you can do to prolong the life of your stethoscope, and there are parts/kits available to make minor repairs. However, if you use your medical tools daily, you should consider replacement instead. Here are a few of the signs that you should replace your stethoscope sooner rather than later.

Worn-out or hardened tubing

The tubing, which is the connecting piece of your stethoscope, will wear out over time. With heavy daily use, the tubing can become less flexible, hardened, or brittle. As soon as you notice a decrease in flexibility, it is time to start thinking about a replacement.

Draping the stethoscope around your neck, as many healthcare professionals do, exposes the tubing to body oils and constant friction against the back of the neck or shirt collar, which can break down the PVC tubing.

If you leave your stethoscope out in the sun frequently, perhaps by keeping it slung over the rearview mirror in your car, that solar exposure will break down the PVC tubing much more quickly.

Outdated capabilities

You might not be aware of all of the modern features and capabilities available in stethoscopes today, especially if you haven’t bought a new one in quite a while.

More recent models use new single-piece diaphragms combined with improved PVC tubing, which improves their acoustic capabilities. This PVC tubing is also more resilient against oils and friction than previous models.

Meanwhile, improvements to the earpieces and diaphragm have also led to superior noise cancellation. These features are critical if you work in an environment with a lot of background noise, such as nursing homes, ERs, and urgent care clinics.

Cracked chest piece

The diaphragm, also known as the chest piece, can become cracked or otherwise damaged. Even less obvious or hidden cracks can ruin a stethoscope completely, meaning you’ll have no choice but to replace it.

You will know that the chest piece has cracked when the sound quality suddenly fails or deteriorates dramatically. Tears and cracks in the tubing are more common, but the diaphragm can also get cracked if it makes contact with hard surfaces.

Ready for a change

When you’re first starting out in the medical profession, you might get a more affordable stethoscope to complete your training and the early years of your career.

However, at a certain point, you’ll want to upgrade your stethoscope to celebrate your achievements and mark the next stage in your career. You might even consider getting your new stethoscope engraved with your name and credentials to customize it and prevent others from walking away with it.