[CNAinNeb]

I know a lot of students buy PDA's for school, but is it really needed? What is it really used for in nursing school? It is a suggested supply item at many of the schools I am applying to. I would like to avoid buying one if possible, not only because of the cost, but because I simply prefer the old-fashioned pen/ paper/ books/ spiral-bound daytimer.

[WitchyRN]

I had one when I was in nursing school about 3 years ago..it was not a requirement at the time and actually, I think I was one of the few that had one..I loved it because I could put a whole drug guide on there, lab values and I even used it during a presentation I had to give to the class. I could even record lectures.If anything, I think it won me brownie points from some of the instructors because it showed I wasn't afraid of technology-nursing is becoming more and more tech savvy, what with computerized charting and all.

You can get a PDA for about $149 new and there are plenty of used ones out there too. Palm makes some good ones. Right now, I actually have a Blackberry which has a drug guide and Mosby's Nursing PDQ as well as a phone, organizer etc. Now, you may be better off with a straight PDA since some schools have rules about phones on the floor(my hospital allows cell phones on the floor and the various depts.)so check with them.

I loved my PDA and I love my BB, but I'm a gadget freak!

[mrsportsmedicine]

I agree, I don't think it's a NEED issue. If you can afford one, it definitely will be a great tool to have. It can be a great help while on the clinical floor as well as in the classroom.
You can customize your PDA to have a number of programs. Everything from med book referencing programs, ACLS, BLS, medical terminology, etc. The list goes on.
I purchased my PDA the last semester of nursing school, and I still use a PDA to this day on the job.
Best of luck

[natania]

I have a palm TX and I LOVE it. I have a drug guide, a nursing diagnosis guide (which is MUCH easier to use than the book), a medical encyclopedia, a lab values guide, a mini pathophysiology guide, and some other freebie stuff I don't use. You don't need one, but it is a lot easier to take to clinicals than a bunch of books, and it is much faster than looking stuff up in a book, too.

Mine was a lot more than $149, though. I wish I had the courage to try buying a used one, but I was afraid of getting a lemon.

[nurz2be]

It depends on your definition of need. Once I started the actual nursing part of my school, I needed more time to study, more time to do charting and care planning, more time to study more (I know I repeated that one, LOL). I found that having a PDA gave me more time to do those things. I can honestly say that I spend at LEAST 1-2 hours less having to look things up than people in my class. First they have to get the book they need, there are several we have for reference material, then they have to flip through the 1000 pages + to find what they are looking for. I simply turn on my PDA, click on the "book" I want, begin typing a word and there it is, in literally a few seconds. It may not sound like much but once you are looking up the 25 meds your patient is on (having to know why, when, contraindications for EACH med), TXs (treatments), the 5+ DX (diagnoses) your patient has, you have literally spent 2-4 hours just gathering information BEFORE you can even BEGIN to write a care plan. I can cut that time to 1 1/2 hours. In the long run I am able to spend more time doing, and studying as opposed to flipping through reference books.

So, yes, I NEED one for nursing school! GOOD LUCK TO YOU

Originally Posted by CNAinNeb

I know a lot of students buy PDA's for school, but is it really needed? What is it really used for in nursing school? It is a suggested supply item at many of the schools I am applying to. I would like to avoid buying one if possible, not only because of the cost, but because I simply prefer the old-fashioned pen/ paper/ books/ spiral-bound daytimer.

[Lennonninja]

I'm not in nursing school yet, but I definitely plan on getting one!

[hannah8]

It's definitely a convenience. A lot of people do very well in classes and clinicals without ever having it.

However I personally think it helps me get more out of my clinicals in a very compact form. I can look further into diseases, drugs, and review procedures via videos on the spot. I could also practice NCLEX questions related to my classes, view/edit Powerpoint slides and MS Word documents.

[stdntograd06]

Originally Posted by natania

I have a palm TX and I LOVE it. I have a drug guide, a nursing diagnosis guide (which is MUCH easier to use than the book), a medical encyclopedia, a lab values guide, a mini pathophysiology guide, and some other freebie stuff I don't use. You don't need one, but it is a lot easier to take to clinicals than a bunch of books, and it is much faster than looking stuff up in a book, too.

Mine was a lot more than $149, though. I wish I had the courage to try buying a used one, but I was afraid of getting a lemon.

I just got mine off eBay for $192.50 brand new! It came with everything, in the box. Now, I just have to find the right nursing software for in it. You have to do some research and then go looking for just what you want. If you watch the current auctions, you can find really good deals. Communication with the seller is important. They can answer any questions on the product before you bid on it. Good luck to you!

[colzastudentnurse]

I am almost done with nursing school and don't have a PDA. However, I know that it would have been extremely convenient and they are great time-savers. I think they are worth getting. But you can get through schooling without one.

[JenniG48]

LOVE MINE. I got it last year in my PN program and have used it consistantly since (I'm now almost finished with my ADN program). I have my drug guides, lab book, nursing dx, s/s finders, medical dictionary and many different calculator. It's great on the clinical floor, I don't have to go looking for medical books when I need information (and it fits in the pocket of my uniform much better than several books). When I'm gone on clinical rotations (we have to travel), I'm able to use the Wifi or bluetooth to stay connected to my email and the internet. I purchased an iPAQ which has Microsoft programming so I can interface with my Word and Outlook on my home computer. Our instructors want our careplans typed. I'm able to transfer the careplan from my Word to my PDA, fill in the information on my PDA and then transfer it back to my home computer when I get home from clinical rotations. Major time saver for me. Plus, I now use it when I'm working as an LPN, so it really has paid for itself.