Laptop for nursing school?

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I was wondering how useful it would be to have a laptop to bring to classes. We have a desktop at home & my husband's laptop from the office, but should I invest in my own laptop for school?

Thanks,

Beth

Specializes in Rural Health.

I don't use mine at all at school...but I use it at home. I find it very handy because it's portable and I can move to whatever room I need to, to get all my stuff done.

Pretty much everything we do at school requires signing on to the server to access your programs which means going to the computer lab or going to the library. You can't access your programs w/o signing onto their server.

As far as taking notes, we have everything in outline form and you fill in the blanks or you highlight in the book what the teacher is talking about. I don't really take a lot of notes in class per se.

Now I do use my PDA all the time and have tons of programs downloaded including drug guides and calculators.

Hope this helps!!!

TexasTac

52 Posts

I use my lap top all the time. Our school gives us powerpoint presentations and I take notes right in the Powerpoint presentation (I can type faster than I can write). I find I can take more thorough notes that way. We also have access to the web in the auditorium, every seat has a hook up as well as in the classrooms.

I think our school is pretty technically advanced, our lectures are even posted online so we can review them as needed.

manna, BSN, RN

2,038 Posts

I only wish I had a laptop!

I, too, can type much faster than I write - and our instructor's often use powerpoints. I usually type up all my notes after class anyway, so it'd be handy to just be able to do it DURING class. :chuckle

Unfortunately, my school isn't too tech-savvy and doesn't have internet/technology accessible classrooms. Hopefully in the new building the nursing department is moving to over the summer.... :D

Specializes in ED.
I use my lap top all the time. Our school gives us powerpoint presentations and I take notes right in the Powerpoint presentation (I can type faster than I can write). I find I can take more thorough notes that way. We also have access to the web in the auditorium, every seat has a hook up as well as in the classrooms.

I think our school is pretty technically advanced, our lectures are even posted online so we can review them as needed.

I am the same way, I type faster than I write so I got a notebook pc this winter. I use it all the time and I can keep all my notes more organised that way

Specializes in NICU.

Hey guys! If anyone reading this thread is at Columbia, I'd love specific suggestions about mac/pc, and laptop/desktop stuff. Their RCC website is from '03!! Very helpful, people :rolleyes:

debblynn13

154 Posts

I agree with mom2michael. The instructors for most of our classes have printed outlines for the lectures and we just fill in the few things we want/need to remember. I have taken a few powerpoints and downloaded them from the school and sent them through my mail to my home computer.

Now my PDA....that has been invaluable during clinicals. I have teachers and other students asking me questions about medications, labs, procedures. If I had to pick laptop or PDA, the PDA would win hands down. And I am a computer geek so I wouldn't mind a laptop ...LOL But I doubt I would carry it to class. There are wayyyyy too many heavy books to carry.

Good luck

debblynn

wonderbee, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,212 Posts

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

I use my laptop in lecture even though we have powerpoint notes downloaded onto the website. It's a nice way to stay organized and I type faster than I write. An added advantage is the ability to play a short game of solitaire when the professor is droning on about stuff like what it was like when she went to nursing school, ad nauseum.:coollook:

mariedoreen

819 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg.
An added advantage is the ability to play a short game of solitaire when the professor is droning on about stuff like what it was like when she went to nursing school, ad nauseum.:coollook:

:rotfl: OhMyGod that is just too funny! We have an instructor that used to work at a big hospital in another part of the country and loves to tell stories about when she worked there which is great, but one guy started keeping track the first week of how many times the name of this hospital came up in lecture. "When I worked at...." He started marking up his paper really fast! We're in our 2nd semester now and I swear everytime she says the name of this hospital and we see him flip out his pen and put another hash mark down we all have to work real hard to keep from bustin up. We're going to have to place bets on the final number when we get close to graduation :)

FutureNurse2005

713 Posts

my laptop has been a lifesaver! It goes with me everywhere!!

JenNJFLCA

447 Posts

I love my laptop! It comes with me to work, school, if I have to go out of town, wherever! I love it! Plus it frees up the desktop for my boyfriend (which is the real reason he bought me the laptop!)

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