New Nurse Finds Confidence and Clarity with Eko
Every clinician has a story that shapes how they practice. For McKenna Steffey, it’s a story of family, resilience, and the belief that listening closely can change outcomes. Now as a new nurse in a cardiac cath lab, she carries forward lessons from her father’s care and her own journey as a mother, with tools like the Eko CORE 500® and Eko+ helping her hear with confidence along the way.
“My dad had one really good nurse during his 17-day stay [in the hospital]. She treated my dad like he was her dad. That’s how I want to be a nurse.”
A lasting impression
Nursing has always personal for McKenna Steffey. Growing up, she watched her grandparents cycle in and out of the hospital with heart issues. Later, when she was a student during nursing school, her father passed away from complications tied to his own heart condition. Those experiences not only inspired her career path but also shaped her sense of purpose.
During her father’s time in the hospital before he passed away, McKenna saw firsthand the difference one nurse can make.
"My dad had one really good nurse during his 17-day stay. She treated my dad like he was her dad. That’s how I want to be a nurse."
That experience continues to guide McKenna’s practice, reminding her that being present and listening closely matters just as much as clinical skill.
Today, McKenna is a new graduate nurse working in a cardiac cath lab, where every clinical decision can make a life-altering difference for her patients. Early in her journey, she sought out tools that could help her listen with greater confidence. That’s where Eko came in.
Discovering the CORE 500®
“I had a traditional stethoscope,” she explained. “I could hear, but I couldn’t really hear what everybody was telling me I should hear.”
McKenna came across Eko during nursing school and quickly discovered what a difference the CORE 500® Digital Stethoscope made in her training.
During clinicals, McKenna and her classmates were caring for a patient who had a murmur — one that even the experienced nurse at the bedside hadn’t detected.
When the group was asked if they had ever heard a murmur before, they all said no.
McKenna offered her stethoscope, and one by one her classmates listened.
Their surprise was immediate.
“Oh my gosh! We don’t hear this with our normal stethoscope.”
For McKenna, it was a defining moment that showed just how much clarity the CORE 500® could bring — not only helping her learn, but also giving her confidence that she could trust what she was hearing.
A mother’s intuition and a clinician’s tool
When McKenna first started practicing with her new stethoscope at home, she didn’t expect it to change the way she listened to her own family.
While testing it on her nine-year-old son, the CORE 500® flagged him for possible Afib. What began as curiosity quickly turned into concern when she noticed his heartbeat sounded irregular, and she decided to take him to the pediatrician.
Because of their family history, his doctor ordered an ECG, which suggested possible left ventricular hypertrophy. An echocardiogram followed, and although it came back normal, the irregular rhythm led to a referral to a cardiologist for further evaluation.
The experience was unsettling, but it also gave McKenna reassurance. The CORE 500® had helped her hear what she otherwise might have missed, and more importantly, it gave her the confidence to act. “If it’s something he’s going to grow out of — great. If not, I feel better having access to it, to listen when I need to.”
Making a difference at the bedside
“In emergencies, it’s loud, and I don’t have to ask people to be quiet. I can just hear what I need to.”
Even early in her career, the CORE 500® has helped McKenna make an impact. She recalls one patient whose lung sounds weren’t being picked up. “One patient, they weren’t hearing anything in the lungs. I listened with mine and asked another nurse to try it. She did — and agreed. That probably changed the outcome for that patient.”
In the fast-paced environment of the cath lab, those moments matter. Her stethoscope helps her focus on the sounds that count, even when the room is filled with noise. “In emergencies, it’s loud, and I don’t have to ask people to be quiet. I can just hear what I need to.”
Inspiring the next generation
McKenna’s path to nursing was anything but easy. She balanced school with raising three children while coping with the loss of her father — challenges that made her journey even more demanding. But through it all, she kept moving forward. “It’s hard, especially with my dad getting sick, but I’m glad I kept pushing.”
To students considering whether digital tools like Eko are worth it, her advice is clear: “It’s 110% valuable. Instructors can tell you what you should hear, but it reassures you that you’re learning and hearing correctly.”
For McKenna, nursing is about more than clinical skill. It’s about honoring her family’s story, showing compassion in every interaction, and using every resource available to give patients the best possible care. Or, put simply, she wants to be somebody’s good nurse.
