[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by GilbertDaddy

Yikes, and to think I almost dropped 350 on a Blackberry curve last night


I need to get confirmation, first, I suppose. No use risking that cash if I can't use it for what I bought it for

Think that is the best thing, check with your school or hospital on what is/isn't allowed.

[Overland1]

Originally Posted by nurz2be

We are allowed at school and at clinical sites to use ONLY a PDA. No dual use phone/PDA's are allowed because TOO many times people start talking or texting instead of doing what they should be doing. It is really important to check with your school or employer first before spending large amounts of money on hybrid phones just to not be able to use them.

A lot of schools do this because there have been numerous cases in which students are sending test answers to each other by using a "smart phone". The cheaters could do the same with a PDA which has wi-fi access.

[edmia]

I used a Palm during school. Indispensable during clinicals, especially for looking up drugs. But, things were getting confusing and heavy because I was carrying around the Palm and the cellphone, which had to be off anyway but couldn't leave it in the staff locker room b/c things had gone missing, etc.

Now that I'm on the job, I finally got myself a smartphone. I went with the Palm Centro and I have to say I it.

The memory is pretty nice, so all my nursing (memory hogging) software fit nicely and I was able to get a 2gb expansion card on buy.com for only $20 which is still blank since I haven't needed the extra space.

I stuck with Palm because I love the platform, it syncs with macs (and I hate PC's.)

I don't really think blackberry has as much software out there like the palm does. And, most importantly, there are plenty of free shareware items for the palm that apply to nursing/medicine, unlike other platforms.

At work, I just turn the phone off while keeping the palm device on.

Oh, and the best part of it is that the Centro is just $99, even less depending on the plan you choose to go with.

[kriseh]

I have had different answers from different people. In alot of cases people are just afraid of it, many times people have no idea what I am talking about and think of it more as a phone than anything. They don't understand that on tele units you can turn off the phone aspect- even when you try to explain it to them. I bought a pocket PC and love it and bought all kinds of interesting nursing sofware with it and am rarely able to use it at clinical. A reagular PDA is OK, but that is basically it. I like that my phone/PDA has a slide out keybooard, no other PDA alone has this and it is so much more productive than trying to use the pointer to touch the little letters. But the biggest issue I have had was that I can't use it at work! ( I am now an LPN going to school for my RN) The reason I can't use it at work is because of the camera. There are issues with privacy and some act and having picture phones and taking unauthorized pictures. So, the best bet is to call and see and many times just to wait for peple to cathc up with the technology.

[nurz2be]

Originally Posted by GilbertDaddy

Yikes, and to think I almost dropped 350 on a Blackberry curve last night


I need to get confirmation, first, I suppose. No use risking that cash if I can't use it for what I bought it for

One of the male students in my class had bought a $500 smart phone and was immediately told too bad. He was upset but there are legitimate reasons why these things cannot be used.

As far as someone posted you can Wi-Fi answers....If we use the PDA during testing it HAS To be placed ON top of the desk when in use. If you place it in your lap (appearing to be hiding it) the person is asked, told, to put it away immediately.

Also, there are regulations in hospitals and facilities that won't allow phones, smart phones, with camera capabilities. If someone is caught, at our clinical site (which is a hospital), with a camera, they are immediately removed and banned from the clinical site. I was told that staff that is seen with, whether using them or not, a camera phone are given an immediate written write-up. If caught a second time they are removed from service (fired).

One of my nurse friends has a smart phone and one program went haywire and the WHOLE THING was unable to work. If my PDA doesn't work, god forbid, I can still use my cell because it isn't linked together. That is just personal preference.

[peridotgirl]

posted by NURZ2BE "As far as someone posted you can Wi-Fi answers....If we use the PDA during testing it HAS To be placed ON top of the desk when in use. If you place it in your lap (appearing to be hiding it) the person is asked, told, to put it away immediately. "


Why would anyone use a PDA during testing in the first place (besides to cheat)?

[nurz2be]

Originally Posted by peridotgirl

posted by NURZ2BE "As far as someone posted you can Wi-Fi answers....If we use the PDA during testing it HAS To be placed ON top of the desk when in use. If you place it in your lap (appearing to be hiding it) the person is asked, told, to put it away immediately. "


Why would anyone use a PDA during testing in the first place (besides to cheat)?

Because a lot of us have our drug books, medical dictionary, and other programs that we are allowed to use during testing.

[CT Pixie]

At school we can have cell-phones, smartphones and PDA's while in class. Cells and smart phones must be turned completely off during testing (due to texting answers and/or taking pics of the test for other students) They can be on vibrate any other time in school when not being tested.

Phones have NOT been allowed at clinical sites, regardless of plain ol cell phones (carmera or not) or a smart phone. PDA's are allowed.

If I were you I'd check with the higher ups in school and get the "official" answer.

[richardjboro1]

Originally Posted by nurz2be

Because a lot of us have our drug books, medical dictionary, and other programs that we are allowed to use during testing.

OK, I know this is off topic, but I"M SHOCKED one can use med dictionaries, drug books and "other programs" during testing. We have to FIGHT to get to use plain ole calculators........WOW.

[CT Pixie]

You get calculators???!! Geez, we can't even have those. No-no's for testing, phones on, PDA's on, calculators. Heck even had to remove our watches one time when the basic math test had military times and the watches had regular time and military time on the face!!

We have to removed EVERYTHING off our desk. We can have a pen, thats it! No water bottle, no coffee, no soda, nothing on that desk but that pen!

Geesh, I would love to be able to have a med dictionary, drug book and pda to use. Heck, I'd be happy with the basic calculator