ABSN - iPhone, Laptop, PDA, SmartPhone, Treo, Blackberry???

Nursing Students General Students

Published

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 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? What do you use? 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.

0 Votes

I have a palm treo smart phone. I choose this over all the other phones because of its touch screen, full querty easy to use keyboard, windows compatability, and and trust of the palm line. I do not use the internet feature, but it is pretty intuative if needed. This has been impertive to keep my scedual straight. It also is windows based, so I have ever set my my notes in word/powerpoint format on an SD memory card so that If I only have a few minutes I can still give my notes a quick scan on my cell phone. You can also load a ton of software on the phone from drug information to standard nursing procedures there are TONS of nursing and healthcare related programs for windows based phones.

Unless you plan on using your laptop in class to take notes... any computer that you have regular access to will sufice, IMHO.

0 Votes

I also have a Treo, with it I can:

  • sych my outlook for scheduling and contacts
  • have GPS
  • use software from www.skyspape.com (all software included download for laptop, have drug guide, med surg text, dictionary, nursing dx)
  • listen to mp3's I recorded in lecture with my laptop

SHannon

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment