[nursemike]

Originally Posted by notebook1985

I KNOW THIS IS A STUPID QUESTION BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT ANYWAY.

How big is a PDA? And how much money should I investfor a good quality one? How much will it help in my Nursing Program and later when I become an R.N.:hatparty: I If someone could give me just basic info, I would appreciate it.
Thank you

I used my Davis Drug Guide and Taber's a good deal in school, and still do at work. In my opinion, those two programs make having a PDA worthwhile. RNotes, Fast Facts, and Lippincott's Lab and Diagnostic Manual aren't bad, but if your budget is tight, I don't find them essential. I didn't use Nursing Dx nearly as much as I thought I would--when careplanning, I generally had all my books open, anyway, and I find a paper book easier to use, if not to carry.
I don't think there's a big difference, any more, but early on, there was more software for Palm OS. One bit of good news: when a buddy of mine went from an old Pocket PC to a Palm T5, he was able to reload everything he'd bought from Skyscape at no extra charge.

[Kabin]

Skyscape has a sale on the Nursing Constellation desktop/PDA bundle ($87) and the AHFS Dosing Companion & Medical Letter's Handbook of Adverse Drug Interactions Bundle for $10 or so (supposedly a $70 savings). Be sure to scrounge around on Google for Skyscape online coupons for savings. I think the sale goes till the end of December.

[hmcna]

I'm an RN..... work with developmentally disabled, and troubled adolescents in a residential setting.... those 2 populations are not together.... just both programs that i'm on call for, in the same agency

I'm on call a lot of the time..... and need to approve prn behavioral meds based on criteria..... for about 8 residents. so i'd like to be able to store the criteria in it.....

as well as advise and approve other things for the rest of the populations....

I need to take notes.... and hopefully at some point be able to print those notes out.... and or upload them to something to print them out.

I'm a windows user when it comes to computers.... and rather computer literate...... with desktops

I'm mobile a lot, and need something that would be portable enough to come with me.... oh, keeping phone #s in it would be a perk too....

Money is an issue..... in that i'd like to keep the cost down....

CAn someone, or several someone's make some suggestions on a new or used device that would meet the above criteria..... and be useful for me?

Thanks, in advance.
Heather in upstate ny

[autoharp15]

I work as a charge nurse at a local longterm facility. I have to know about Psyc drugs also. I have a Tungsten E Palm . It keeps all my phone no. at a glance. It also is Microsoft word capable as well as spread sheets, ect. You can down load music as well, as pictures. It also uses expansion cards. I use Epocrates which is free for alot of drug information as well as formulas, for different drugs doseing. It also has Adverse effects, adult and ped, dosing and alot of other information that comes with this program. I have a site where I get alot of free soft ware, med dict of medical abbreviations, Glasco coma scale, a specific program for Psyc drugs. Its called compendica Psychiatry. This site is wonderful for this device. Palm One -Software Connect is one of the sites, Study Stack is another one, Memoware is another. You can find alot of sites just type in on your search bar, Free Medical PDA soft ware and you can find thousands of sites for free soft ware. My PDA cost about 250.00 and an additional 50 for the expansion card. I would not want to be without it. I use it everyday at work. Carol

[nursemike]

Originally Posted by hmcna

I'm an RN..... work with developmentally disabled, and troubled adolescents in a residential setting.... those 2 populations are not together.... just both programs that i'm on call for, in the same agency

I'm on call a lot of the time..... and need to approve prn behavioral meds based on criteria..... for about 8 residents. so i'd like to be able to store the criteria in it.....

as well as advise and approve other things for the rest of the populations....

I need to take notes.... and hopefully at some point be able to print those notes out.... and or upload them to something to print them out.

I'm a windows user when it comes to computers.... and rather computer literate...... with desktops

I'm mobile a lot, and need something that would be portable enough to come with me.... oh, keeping phone #s in it would be a perk too....

Money is an issue..... in that i'd like to keep the cost down....

CAn someone, or several someone's make some suggestions on a new or used device that would meet the above criteria..... and be useful for me?

Thanks, in advance.
Heather in upstate ny

I use a Tungsten T5, but started with a Tungsten E, which was plenty adequate until I broke it. The Pocket PC OS is Windows-based (HP and Dell use it, among others) but, really, either OS is pretty simple. Skyscape is a site with lots of software for sale, and you can try trial versions of most, which give you some idea whether it's worth buying. I don't know prices on Pocket PCs, but a Tungsten E or E2 (newer version) are around 200 bucks, these days. I have a 128MB expansion card, which is fairly cheap, these days. I also heartily recommend the extra 40 or so for a hard case. The case on my T5 is all banged up, but the PDA works fine.

[aimless]

I start my program in Jan 06.... required for one course is a PALM e-2 PDA with Pepid RN Clinical software installed.....a whopping $385 at my bookstore... is this expensive? seems like it....

anyone familiar with this? I have soo many questions.... I know they say eventually I will like my PDA but Im not so sure about that--I am gadgetphobic.....dont even have a cell phone yet--
thanks & anyone with any experience or info about this "Pepid" program and pda that would be comprable plz email me.....
P.S.
anybody out there want to sell me one used? or do you STILL use it after school? None of the nurses in our small hospital have them.... only the dr;s.... thanks!---- aimless


But if a PDA really helps then I will invest in one. Also what are the most important things it must have. I will use it mostly for school.
THanks[/quote]

[LanaBanana]

I came across a website this weekend that has lots of good PDA downloads - for free! They're available for a wide variety of subjects, with lots of medical. I haven't seen it listed on here so thought I'd throw it out for everybody.
http://www.memoware.com

Have fun!

[wms]

Hi all! Got a Dell Axim x51v for christmas with a foldable keyboard and sweet little carrying case. I love it, unfortunately I have already used all the memory so I am going to install a 4 GB compact flash drive soon. As a Junior year nursing student starting patho. can anyone recommend any programs? I have epocrates, tabor's, Davis Drug quide and AJN already on my PDA. Anymore ideas? Thanks and happy New Year!!! Wendy

[hittme123]

ok so this is prob a dumb question,

I just got a Palm TX for xmas and i've begun to download software online, mostly free stuff, but how do i go about removing the software if I dont like it? Do I do that through the computer or the Palm? I've checked out the user guide and it just frustrates me its online and not in a book...anyhow...if you all know how to do that, please fill me in!!

[LanaBanana]

Originally Posted by hittme123

ok so this is prob a dumb question,

I just got a Palm TX for xmas and i've begun to download software online, mostly free stuff, but how do i go about removing the software if I dont like it? Do I do that through the computer or the Palm? I've checked out the user guide and it just frustrates me its online and not in a book...anyhow...if you all know how to do that, please fill me in!!

Mine is a Palm E2, so deleting programs is a little different, but maybe this will get you started. By the way, I just figured out how to do this 4 days ago! For mine, when you're in the main applications view (where all the icons are) you go to the top where pull-down menues are. In this menu there are options to view info about your pda (available memory, etc) and there's a delete option. When you select that it will bring up a list of all the files on your pda or card and you select the ones from the list you want and then hit the delete button. The problem I ran into is that each program puts a few files on the pda so you have to find all of them to completely get rid of it. It's pretty easy though because all the file names should have some kind of abreviation in them that lets you figure it out.
This is what I figured out, there may be a better way. I wish there was an uninstall feature like you can do on the computer that would get rid of all traces of it!
Good luck!