[hermosa]

I'm going to be starting an accelerated BSN program in June and I'm trying to figure out what type of electronics I need to not only organize my life but also help out with studying and with clinicals. I'm a little overwhelmed with what I want and what I need. I don't want to overbuy but still want to have some adaptability so that when I get out of school in a year I have something I can use in the workplace.

I currently have a 3 year old HP laptop thats running well. I will probably be buying a new laptop withing the next couple of years and I have a feeling it will be a MAC next time.

I want to get an iPod, MP3 or or something like that for music at the gym, biking, etc and listening to lectures as I don't have one. I've thought using an iPhone or Smartphone to do double duty for this but keep thinking against this because I'm a clutz.

I'm also thinking I want a PDA to get my drug book on a card that I can read in clinicals. I'd also like something that I can synch Outlook on so that I can organize my contacts, calendar, etc. I'd also like to get email, internet, etc...

I've currently got a basic cell phone with AT&T coverage. I'm on a month to month contract so I can switch carriers. I'll be moving to Sacramento and going to Sac State so I think coverage will be good with any carrier there but will probably be moving back to the Bay Area right after graduation.

Therefore, what combo do you think would work well? Originally I was thinking of getting an iPod and a Treo. Then I was thinking of just getting an iPhone because that would work well with my eventually getting a MAC later on (and I was told that internet access is incredible on it) but then a friend told me it might not work well in the hospital with internet access and you can't use Outlook on it (but now I've heard that the new ones will have Microsoft integration).

Now I'm seeing that the new Blackberrys Pearls have GPS on them too but then one student told me that you can't take a PDA into clinicals with a camera. Do they really check? Then someone else told me they really don't use a PDA in clinicals.

What are all of you using in the hospitals? Any of you have an iPhone - can you use it in the hospital or does it get a lot of interference? What do you use around town? What do you like? What do you not like? What have you found to be overkill?

I just feel like the accelerated program is going to be so hectic that I am going to need something that I have in my pocket to manage everything all at once.

[MikeInCO]

Originally Posted by hermosa

I'm going to be starting an accelerated BSN program in June and I'm trying to figure out what type of electronics I need to not only organize my life but also help out with studying and with clinicals. I'm a little overwhelmed with what I want and what I need. I don't want to overbuy but still want to have some adaptability so that when I get out of school in a year I have something I can use in the workplace.

I currently have a 3 year old HP laptop thats running well. I will probably be buying a new laptop withing the next couple of years and I have a feeling it will be a MAC next time.

I want to get an iPod, MP3 or or something like that for music at the gym, biking, etc and listening to lectures as I don't have one. I've thought using an iPhone or Smartphone to do double duty for this but keep thinking against this because I'm a clutz.

I'm also thinking I want a PDA to get my drug book on a card that I can read in clinicals. I'd also like something that I can synch Outlook on so that I can organize my contacts, calendar, etc. I'd also like to get email, internet, etc...

I've currently got a basic cell phone with AT&T coverage. I'm on a month to month contract so I can switch carriers. I'll be moving to Sacramento and going to Sac State so I think coverage will be good with any carrier there but will probably be moving back to the Bay Area right after graduation.

Therefore, what combo do you think would work well? Originally I was thinking of getting an iPod and a Treo. Then I was thinking of just getting an iPhone because that would work well with my eventually getting a MAC later on (and I was told that internet access is incredible on it) but then a friend told me it might not work well in the hospital with internet access and you can't use Outlook on it (but now I've heard that the new ones will have Microsoft integration).

Now I'm seeing that the new Blackberrys Pearls have GPS on them too but then one student told me that you can't take a PDA into clinicals with a camera. Do they really check? Then someone else told me they really don't use a PDA in clinicals.

What are all of you using in the hospitals? Any of you have an iPhone - can you use it in the hospital or does it get a lot of interference? What do you use around town? What do you like? What do you not like? What have you found to be overkill?

I just feel like the accelerated program is going to be so hectic that I am going to need something that I have in my pocket to manage everything all at once.

Hey just thought that I'd chime in. I'm entereing into a BSN program in about a year. And a PDA is required... As far as the laptop that will be personal preference. Also, please keep in mind that some facilities will not allow you to use a smart phone on the floor. Some do. It just depends. Also, I've heard of many people who will record their lectures and then convert them to mp3 and listen to them on an Ipod and listen to them on the way to and from class or at the gym, ect... Also, some mp3 players have a microphone that will let you record lectures and what not. Hope this helps somewhat...

[mcubed45]

Originally Posted by MikeInCO

Hey just thought that I'd chime in. I'm entereing into a BSN program in about a year. And a PDA is required... As far as the laptop that will be personal preference. Also, please keep in mind that some facilities will not allow you to use a smart phone on the floor. Some do. It just depends. Also, I've heard of many people who will record their lectures and then convert them to mp3 and listen to them on an Ipod and listen to them on the way to and from class or at the gym, ect... Also, some mp3 players have a microphone that will let you record lectures and what not. Hope this helps somewhat...

idk if the iphone/ipod touch has it but the older ipods had peripheral mic devices you could buy that would let you record directly onto the ipod and playback.

[SteveRN21]

I bought the iPod mic attachment and used it once. It took up a ton of memory, and you could barely hear the lectures. It also sucked battery power over the course of a 3 hr lecture.

I guess I'm one of those who just does better reading over my notes.

I LOVE my MacBook. I ditched my PC laptop last Sept, and haven't looked back. It was my first Mac, and it was very easy to get used to.

My school (grad) requires a PDA that uses the PalmOS, since we write clinical logs on it. You might want to check on that.

[nurse2bKY]

I am just finishing an accelerated BSN program...only 3 weeks until graduation (woo hoo). Anyway, the biggest thing I would recommend is a PDA, and my personal preference is one that has Microsoft Pocket PC as the operating system. I have a Dell Axim X5, but Dell stopped making PDA's right after I bought this one. If I had to get another one, I would probably get an HP. Anyway, I use mine all the time, and it has been soooo helpful in clinicals and outside of clinicals. I can't stress enough to people to get one, and use it.

[MikeInCO]

Originally Posted by nurse2bKY

I am just finishing an accelerated BSN program...only 3 weeks until graduation (woo hoo). Anyway, the biggest thing I would recommend is a PDA, and my personal preference is one that has Microsoft Pocket PC as the operating system. I have a Dell Axim X5, but Dell stopped making PDA's right after I bought this one. If I had to get another one, I would probably get an HP. Anyway, I use mine all the time, and it has been soooo helpful in clinicals and outside of clinicals. I can't stress enough to people to get one, and use it.

I have heard many people say this. And I will agree w/ you on the usefulness of a PDA. I don't start my BSN program until a year from now. But a PDA is required. I also second the suggestion for getting one with the Pocket PC operating system on it as opposed to Palm. Just my . Have a great day!

[lukb42]

I just finished nursing school a few weeks ago. The PDA helped out as some clinical instructors would allow us to look our drugs up on it instead of making drug cards. Also, during my last semester the teachers began utilizing Camtasia (sp?) which is basically a program where the instructors are able to record their lectures to a coresponding powerpoint and we had to watch and listen to the lectures at home and class time was used more for answering questions and working case studies. Anyway, if your program uses the camtasia then the ipod option is great as I was able to download the audio portion of lectures and listen in the car, while running, etc.

[LinfieldNursingGuy]

I have a first generation iPhone and an iMac at home for writing papers. I don't care to lug my old PowerBook around at the moment. Epocrates (demo) is due out for the iPhone this June or so — so it will be interesting see it work on as an embedded application. So for me it will be an iPhone and a small digital recorder for lectures. I went with a small recorder because I can leave it at the podium and not worry too much about losing it.

[Spatialized]

Luckily our nursing school was technologically illiterate and the only requirement was a home PC with Internet access. No PDAs or anything like that. I used an old Palm for scheduling my life but that was about it.
I carry a PDA at work at times, usually based on if I want to lug it around all night and it can be helpful, but the reality is that we have books in the nurses station, in the med room and plenty of resources where it may take more time to use the PDA than a book. I use Epocrates on my Tungsten E2 and have been pretty happy with it, sometimes it seems a little lacking of the info I feel I really need, but I can deal with it. I've actually been reducing the amount of stuff I carry on me during shift, just because I'm finding traveling light is easier, but that's just me.
So it comes down to personal preference with PDAs. I think I'm the only one on my unit that carries one.
Besides that, a laptop, cell phone and Nano are my lifelines...

Cheers,
Tom

[mcknis]

Palm Tungsten E2 (also with mp3 capabililities)
Compaq Laptop
Pre-paid cellphone through Net10