Help-Epocrates required for clinicals..what PDA?

Specialties NP

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Our instructors requires at least Epocrates Pro for clinicals this fall...They recommend something different from your phone...What would serve a NP student well? Pretty computer savvy===but don't know much about the PDA's.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I have the Verizon Blackberry Curve and love it. I use ePocrates Pro as well as two renal dosing program and now a peds program too. You might also want to check out the mobile computing forum:

https://allnurses.com/mobile-computing-nursing/

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Our instructors requires at least Epocrates Pro for clinicals this fall...They recommend something different from your phone...What would serve a NP student well? Pretty computer savvy===but don't know much about the PDA's.

This is actually harder than it sounds. Palm stopped making non-phone handhelds. Most of the windows non phones are very expensive. You could run it on the apple IPOD touch which is your only non-phone option it seems. You could also try to find a used palm on EBAY or Craigslist.

So the only real option is $229 for the cheapest IPOD. On the other hand you could get a phone for that price. The other option is to go through Epocrates and get a bundle found here:

http://www.epocrates.com/programs/pdamd_bundles.html

I would stay away from the windows devices. The IPOD touch seems to be the best deal and you get a device that is still supported. I have Pro on my Blackberry and it works great (another option). You might see if there is a student bundle through one of the nursing organizations.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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David, I have an iPaq. Just wondering why you said you would stay away from Windows devices. I have also owned a Palm OS device. I have the free Epocrates now, but would like to upgrade to Pro before my clinicals start this fall. Is it worth it (Epocrtes Pro)? Any advice re: the epocrates and other bundles you have used? I also have an iPod (never thought of using that!). My phone is a Razr. Just wondering what would be best...

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Also David, in your opinion, do you think I can get away with not buying a PDR type reference book that is "required" on my booklist? I am thinking Epocrates covers it and stays up to date. Thnaks!

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Specializes in Emergency, MCCU, Surgical/ENT, Hep Trans.

David is "on the money."

I've used all three platforms over the years. My iPhone is the bomb, rarely crashes and is so much more user friendly than my Palm Tx or Windoz Mobile.

I suggest if you don't want to buy an iPhone, get a iTouch, stay with the latest model and take a look at Skyscape. Epoc is good, but limited unless you up for the subscription. I use both.

For a PDA, there is simply no comparision between the three. I have NOT seen the new Palm Pre. This may also be an option. BTW, I used to be a die-hard Palm guy, until I found the iPhone. My son has a iTouch. It's simply a iPhone w/o the phone.

Good luck, ask if ye have questions...

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David, I have an iPaq. Just wondering why you said you would stay away from Windows devices. I have also owned a Palm OS device. I have the free Epocrates now, but would like to upgrade to Pro before my clinicals start this fall. Is it worth it (Epocrtes Pro)? Any advice re: the epocrates and other bundles you have used? I also have an iPod (never thought of using that!). My phone is a Razr. Just wondering what would be best...

My sense is that the non-phone windows devices are on the way out just like the palm. If you have an Ipaq or Palm that will run epocrates then either is good. Otherwise the only one that looks like it will get support is the Itouch (and actually works as an Ipod if you need another one). I don't think that epocrates works with the other Ipods.

Also David, in your opinion, do you think I can get away with not buying a PDR type reference book that is "required" on my booklist? I am thinking Epocrates covers it and stays up to date. Thnaks!

The PDR is pretty useless. All it contains is the product information which is easily avaiable on the internet. On the other hand it is a large impressive looking book. I used mine last week as a weight when I was gluing some wood together. It also can be used for home defense. On the other hand you can usually find it at Sam's club or Costco for around $20. It would recommend Up to date for both drugs in depth and medical conditions. I think that its pretty cheap for students. I believe that it runs on the Iphone also.

The longer I do this the less crap I want to carry around. Right now I have my stethescope and my blackberry with Epocrates. We are fortunate that we have our own clinical pharmacist so if I have questions I go to the source. Mostly I use epocrates to look up prices to find the cheapest drugs.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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David is "on the money."

I've used all three platforms over the years. My iPhone is the bomb, rarely crashes and is so much more user friendly than my Palm Tx or Windoz Mobile.

I suggest if you don't want to buy an iPhone, get a iTouch, stay with the latest model and take a look at Skyscape. Epoc is good, but limited unless you up for the subscription. I use both.

For a PDA, there is simply no comparision between the three. I have NOT seen the new Palm Pre. This may also be an option. BTW, I used to be a die-hard Palm guy, until I found the iPhone. My son has a iTouch. It's simply a iPhone w/o the phone.

Good luck, ask if ye have questions...

I agree as well. My first PDA was an IPAQ which is WinMobile based. I have Epocrates Essentials and loved it...until I got my iphone. It is so much more user friendly, more compact, has tons of useful medical related apps and fun apps...I have my calendar, email and everything all in one. The only difference is the symptom assessment function of Epoc is not supported by iphone..I really liked that function and lost it when I switched...however, the user friendliness and other perks of the iphone more than make up for it.

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David, thanks so much...I was cracking up reading your uses for a PDR...lol. Just as I thought. One last question...do you have Epocrates Pro, or the free version (which I have)?

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David, thanks so much...I was cracking up reading your uses for a PDR...lol. Just as I thought. One last question...do you have Epocrates Pro, or the free version (which I have)?

Right now I just use the free version. My current Blackberry has a memory leak issue which makes it hard to use any program. We are upgrading next month and I plan to get Pro. I've been waiting for the Blackberry version. I probably won't use it much but its nice to have. We do all our charts electronically so we usually have up to date running on one of the COWs so thats mostly what we use.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Up to Date and ePocrates onlline are other useful tools too. I use both on computers as well as phones.

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Specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

I have a blackberry curve that I got as a graduation gift to replace my old Palm PDA. I am so much happier. I only had my palm PDA a for about a year, but was really unhappy with how limited it was. There is definitely a learning curve going from system to system though. Epocrates works great on the blackberry and skyscape has lots of great programs that are compatible with blackberry too. I know the iphones and itouch had alot of fans, but I was trying to consoliate to one device and my cell phone carrier Verizon, does not have the Iphone yet. Hope this helps.

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