You will rarely come across any physician who doesn’t carry a stethoscope with them. In fact, it is one of the most important devices of daily medical practice. A stethoscope is a medical device that every paramedic, nursing student, medical student, and the doctor should possess in person. Though the traditional stethoscope helped the doctor listen to the bodily functions like the heartbeat, the respiration, or the digestion, the modern day stethoscopes differ according to their application.
The function of a good stethoscope is to allow you to perform the fundamental tasks like auscultation with the intention of assessing the condition of the thoracic organs, abdomen, and blood vessels. However, one stethoscope cannot be used to check different conditions, which is why there are different types of stethoscopes. The different types of stethoscopes include:
Cardiology stethoscope
Though this stethoscope looks like a regular stethoscope, it has the ability to give excellent acoustic sound quality. Also, it is accompanied by the ability to hear both low- and high-frequency sounds from the diaphragm, and you wouldn’t have to use a bell, which is commonly found in dual-headed stethoscopes. Moreover, these stethoscopes have thicker earpieces that block out unwanted noise and prevent any interference with the auscultation, which is why it is used to listen to heartbeats, S2, and murmurs.
Infant stethoscope
This type of stethoscope is used for newborn babies and are the smallest of the kind. It has a very small diameter of about 2cm that ensures that the auscultation is accurate and the surrounding noise doesn’t interfere with it. These stethoscopes are available in non-latex forms to avoid allergic reaction in infants and have a non-chill ring as well.
Electronic stethoscope
These stethoscopes can help solve sound problems as they amplify the sound obtained from the chest-piece electronically and then convert it into electric waves that are transmitted through particular circuits. When the electric waves pass, they are processed for better listening. These stethoscopes are available in two categories, namely, the amplifying and the digitizing stethoscopes.
Teaching stethoscope
As the name suggests, this stethoscope is used primarily for teaching purposes. It features a single-lumen tubing that is highly durable and comes with solid stainless steel chest piece and has a dual headset. This feature allows the teacher and student to use the stethoscope at the same time and the students gain a better understanding of what’s happening to a patient.
-
The Full Age Retirement Chart
Read moreThe full-age retirement chart
A comfortable, secure, and safe retirement is probably the dream of every working individual in the country. Today, with the generation living healthier, longer lives than ever before, it is safe to assume that we will live longer than our grandparents and parents and, consequently, have longer retirement periods as well. Achieving one’s dream of a comfortable, secure retirement becomes easier and simpler when one plans his/her finances.
Full retirement age
There is an important term called as the full retirement age’ in the US. It is the age at which an individual becomes entitled to receive unreduced or full retirement benefits from the employer and government. There are certain rules when it comes to full retirement age (FRA):
If someone has been born after 1937, i.e. if that individual’sFRA is more than 65, that person will still be able to receive his/her entire benefits at age 62. However, the stipulation is that the benefits reduction is more for individuals born after 1938.
For instance, if someone’s FRA is 67.
If one begins his/her retirement benefits at the age of 62 years, then their monthly benefit reduces by as much as 30%. For other ages, the reduction for starting benefits at that particular age is:
6.7% when begun at age 66
13.3% when begun at age 65
20%when begun at age 64, and
25% when begun at age 63
Also, if one begins receiving the benefits of their spouses at the age of 62 years, then the reduction in monthly benefit is a whopping 67.5% of your amount that the spouse would have gotten had their benefits begun at FRA. For the spouses, the reduction percentages for beginning benefits is:
50% when begun at age 67 (maximum benefit)
54.2% when begun at age 66
58.3% when begun at age 65
62.5% when begun at age 64, and
65% when begun at age 63
Full age retirement chart<![if !supportMisalignedColumns]>
The earliest one can begin receiving benefits is at the age of 62 only.
Also, if one was born on the 1st of January, then the year to be considered is the previous year. If one were born on the 1st of any month, then then the previous month age is considered.
Also, if one delays retirement benefits and wait until after the FRA, then one may even be entitled for credits for delayed retirement. These will increase benefits per month. Also, one should sign up for Medicare at 65 years of age.
Tags: Retirement planningfull age retirement chartFull Social Security Benefits Receipt Ages
Year of Birth
Full Retirement Age
1960 and after
67 years
1959
66 years, 10 months
1958
66 years, 8 months
1957
66 years, 6 months
1956
66 years, 4 months
1955
66 years, 2 months
1943–1954
66 years
1942
65 years, 10 months
1941
65 years, 8 months
1940
65 years, 6 months
1939
65 years, 4 months
1938
65 years, 2 months
1937 or before
65 years
-
3 best smartphone offers under $500
Read moreEvery year manufacturers exceed consumer expectations by releasing state-of-the-art smartphone models, creating a buzz among gadget enthusiasts. However, owning a high-end smartphone packed with extra advanced features is not every consumer’s desire. In fact, most consumers are looking for a functional model that lasts long and falls under budget. Fortunately, brands identify the no-fuss, budget-conscious consumer viewpoint, which is why you can easily find a decent selection of models under $500, that fits your needs, budget and comes with bonus add-ons as well. Although, scoring the best smartphone offers within this budget can be a little tough as they are so many options priced competitively. To help you out, we have listed some best smartphone offers under $500 for the year 2018.
OnePlus 5T
One of the most popular phones on the market, OnePlus 5T is furnished with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and AMOLED screens. This piece can be bought for approximately $500. If you wish, you can upgrade it for an 8GB of RAM and internal 128GB of storage by shelling out an extra $60. Some of its positives comprise a simple as well as a faster user interface. Although, this device is just splash-proof, not waterproof and its camera comes with some great functions but lacks in certain areas as compared to its rivals. However, OnePlus 5T is still a solid choice on the overall, faring well without burning a hole in your pocket.Moto Z2 Play
Motorola is widely recognized for manufacturing impressive wallet-friendly smartphones, and currently, Moto Z2 Play is one of the favorites among several consumers this year. Equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 processor, users can choose between a 64GB internal storage and 4GB RAM or 32GB and 3GB RAM. Moreover, one can enjoy a fantastic phone memory by adding a 2TB microSD card. It dons a Corning Gorilla Glass screen and 5.5 Full HD 1080p Super AMOLED display. Its 12MP dual autofocus camera is featured by an LED flash, professional and night mode, and phase detection. Its battery life is relatively low when compared to its predecessor, Z Play but it is sufficient enough for a day’s use. At the moment, you can land a Moto Z2 at a decent deal of $500.iPhone SE
With a starting price of just $350, iPhone SE is a major steal for customers wanting to switch to the Apple family. The iPhone SE is upgraded to the iOS 11 and now supports 4K video recording and ARKit for running top-of-the-line augmented reality apps. It is outfitted with an A9 chip with 64‑bit architecture and is available in two capacities, i.e., 32GB and 128GB. Some highlights of its 4-inch (diagonal) screen are retina and LCD Multi-Touch display with IPS technology and fingerprint‑resistant oleophobic coating. Its 12MP camera, on the other hand, comes with a ton of cool features including 5x digital zoom, photo stabilization, face detection, panorama, noise reduction, burst mode, and geotagging. Moreover, iPhone SE is also has a remarkable battery life.Apart from the devices mentioned above, Essential Phone, Samsung Galaxy 8, Moto X4, Moto G5 Plus, and refurbished iPhone 7 also make for some best smartphone offers. You can find these best-priced smartphones through online sellers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Overstock. Usually, the most opportune time for landing the best mobile phone offers is during holiday seasons such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Likewise, manufacturers usually slash prices on their old models when they are about to launch a new smartphone. Therefore, keep an eye on the tech calendar for landing the best mobile phone deals.