What is a good stethoscope for a nursing student?

Spend $70-$100.  Littmann.   Put your name on it.  Don't let anyone borrow it, or if they do, follow them.  Don't put it down.  If you do, it will be gone.  Common for a doctor to pick it up and put it in their pocket.  You won't see it again."A good nurse always has scissors."  Get used to this demeaning statement.  So don't let your scissors get away either.  Same thing, follow them around.  Don't let them be used to do gross stuff.  Better to not have scissors (for others to use).

For what you are going to be listening to ANY stethoscope will work fine.  You're not going to be listening for S3 heart sounds or barely discernable rubs.  You're going to use it for very basic examinations, and really, any stethoscope will pick up wheezing, grade II or better murmurs, or rales.

The price of the stethoscope is inversely proportional to how long you'll have it.  The nice ones tend to walk away. A crappy one will last you forever.  I pay about $20 for mine, and I'm a doctor.

I also buy pink stethoscopes so that none of the men will take it.  Then I write my name on the tubes with Sharpie marker.  Even better, hang some crazy dangly thing off yours.  Nobody in their right mind will steal it then.

I love my littmann cardiology stethoscope. Since I work as an EMT also, I can hear so much better on a noisy rig than with the one required for nursing school. It's worth the money!