All electronics banned?

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I was curious if any other programs have a "no electronic devices allowed" rule for lectures or clinicals. No computers, netbooks, voice recorders, or pdas/cell-phones with apps.

I'm very disappointed in that policy, since I take usually take notes on my Macbook twice as fast as I can write. I feel like they are fighting technology instead of embracing it.

thanks,

Kurt

Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

Random but brief thread-hijack:

9lives, just saw your " two days experience"! Congrats! I had noticed your posts as a student on and off, and it's good to see you're finished now!

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To all of the students who are so distractable as to be bothered by a keyboard typing or even a pen clicking... you may as well get used to learning to focus in noise... I've never had a work environment that's so noise-cluttered as the nurse's station is.

Truly, a loud and noisy place can be easier to focus in. It's when it's a quite room, except for that one person sniffling, or clicking their pen, or...well you get the idea :-)

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I also have to ad that using computers and pda's to do all the work for you, instead of using ur brain to remember things is a disadvantage. I totally agree that using a pda to look up drug interactions, or signs and symptoms a patient may be having would be extrememly useful as a nursing student. However, actually knowing this stuff is more helpful than leaving it up to the computer. Total dependence on technology is not going to be helpful if the system crashes. Think back to 9/11, the whole system crashed, no cell phones, no 2-way radio communication. You had to KNOW your stuff if your were going to survive or help anyone. (I know this for fact, I was there)

There's a drug book at every med cart I've been to. If it OK to use the drug book? If so, how is the PDA different?

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There's a drug book at every med cart I've been to. If it OK to use the drug book? If so, how is the PDA different?

I dont see a problem with using a PDA. I hope to God by the time i get out of school the hospitals would embrace using personal technology. It would actually help us be proficient nurses, and reduce drug errors. ;)

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
There's a drug book at every med cart I've been to. If it OK to use the drug book? If so, how is the PDA different?

Lot of docs and nurses in my ED use PDAs. But books never have dead batteries. :coollook:

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Wow...this thread took off.

I think one student has already quit the program over having her phone taken from her. The teachers told us nine different ways that they would take any phones that go off during class (a rule which I DO like).

I think it was day one of week two (the first week they were giving warnings) when a phone was taken. Apparently she tried to go to campus security who sided with the nursing program. I didn't see the girl for the rest of the week.

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Anybody who would quit the program over their cell phone interrupting class, was not serious about becoming a nurse. Hope they allow a waiting list student to have her place.

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Yeah...I agree. My program doesn't have a waiting list though. I guess that makes her the first one to bite the dust.

I do think I've figured out why so many think that nursing teachers are out to "weed" people out: one...because they are. If you aren't mentally tough enough to put up with the stress of the assignments, you probably shouldn't be a nurse. Two...Every other (non-nursing) class I've had has spoon-fed you what you need to know.

In my school at least, the teachers give you enough information to get your started, but it's up to you to learn a lot on your own through reading and lab practice.

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My school happens to be opposite. We're required to have a PDA/Cellphone/Itouch with Unbound Medicine on it. Luckily I already had an Itouch and only had to pay the $200 2 year subscription fee. They also allow laptops in lectures, I admit I'm guilty of sometimes checking facebook during class but only when we have some downtime. We're also required to take a course called Computers in Nursing so they're pretty pro-technology.

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Lot of docs and nurses in my ED use PDAs. But books never have dead batteries. :coollook:

And a car requires gas.....should we all walk to work so we don't run out of gas? Of course not, responsible adults ensure they have enough gas to get where they need to go.....they also charge their mobile devices before going to the hospital.:)

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