Any need for PDA or other misc. reference materials?

[momin96,98,99]

I will start the nursing program in the fall, and my orientation isn't until late July/August. (I want to get organized now!!!)

I would love to hear from current/graduated students what extra material they have used that has helped, (bookstores have all kinds of pocket size reference materials for nursing students), also would a PDA help or is it frowned upon by teachers or not allowed for use as reference during clinicals? Any advise would be greatly apprecitated.

[Snwbdr]

we were required to buy PDA's for my program. It was part of the bundle of texts that we had to buy. They can be a great resource since you have a lot of information available on hand.....check with your program and see what they say about them

[cursedandblessed]

pda's (check with the school) can be useful, but at home i prefer an oldfashioned book to look up information. i use the test success series for studying for the types of questions on tests.test success for fundamentals is good for first semester.

[notthereyet0]

Seriously wait to see if you need them. The program told us we needed PDAs for class and then we never used them. Some of the students have them and do use them, if you're really into technology and know you will use it, they are great. I bought an actual PDA, not the blackberry or apple with applications on it. It plays a great game of solitare but it it big and awkward. The smaller the device(if you need it) the better. We were told after we got into class that they put "required" for the Pda so that students could get financial aid for it. Then they never really integrated it into the program, so wait until you see what you need!! Do you sense a bit of hostility here?

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

ugh the dreaded PDAs. My cohort hated what our program "provided" for us. Meaning we hated the device that our "class fee" paid for. The software however is amazing. We love it.

Most of us have dumped the PDAs though and transferred the licenses for our nursing software to our smart phones (Blackberry or iPhone) or iTouch.

[momin96,98,99]

Thanks for all who have posted, I think I will just get the blackberry as I recently upgraded my phone, but have 30 days to exchange it. From reading other posts it seem this is used most frequently and I am not a fan of ipod. I just want to make my life as simple as possible, and will just have to see if I prefer book reference or hand held. I just don't know what to expect going into the program, and I don't want to buy something I won't use.

I am not sure if my school will have it as a requirment, California State East Bay. I will try to contact the pre-admissions and see if they know.

[CuriousMe]

Thanks for all who have posted, I think I will just get the blackberry as I recently upgraded my phone, but have 30 days to exchange it. From reading other posts it seem this is used most frequently and I am not a fan of ipod. I just want to make my life as simple as possible, and will just have to see if I prefer book reference or hand held. I just don't know what to expect going into the program, and I don't want to buy something I won't use.

I am not sure if my school will have it as a requirment, California State East Bay. I will try to contact the pre-admissions and see if they know.

The only thing to be careful of with using your Blackberry as a resource is that some clinical sites don't allow you to use a phone when you're in clinicals (even if you turn the phone part off). I've see folks who spent $$ on a new fancy phone and software for nursing school....then couldn't use it at clinicals. Check with your program.

[Snwbdr]

The only thing to be careful of with using your Blackberry as a resource is that some clinical sites don't allow you to use a phone when you're in clinicals (even if you turn the phone part off). I've see folks who spent $$ on a new fancy phone and software for nursing school....then couldn't use it at clinicals. Check with your program.

that's exactly why I haven't switched my software to my BB....our clinical sites have very strict "no cellphones" while on the floor policies.....

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I just finished nursing school....and if I had it to do over again...Tabers and my drug guide..I would not have got these in hardcopy.

I had no idea of how these materials were going to be used before I started nursing school, so I bought what they told me to buy.

I realized later, that it doesn't matter what lab book, drug guide, or medical terminology book you get...as long as it's current.

PDA programs for these cost about the same as the book...which is another reason why I wished I had bought the programs.