Anyone use PDA or hand held PC?

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i will be starting the spring '08 rn program soon and wondering if any of you use a pda, palm pilot or hand held pc? i really know nothing about these devices and can't help but wonder if they're a good idea. if you do use one, what brand do you have and what do you like/dislike most about it? your thoughts, please...thanks a bunch! :rolleyes:

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Oh my god I literally couldn't survive (well I guess I could...lol) without my Palm TX! There is no way is heck I would have time to look up drugs especially now that I'm doing clinicals in the ICU. I used it on all sorts of drips I was hanging today....because I did all my preclinical paperwork/drugs last night and when I got there today everything was different.

To me it is a a great investment and everyone is always wanting to use my Palm (especially the RNs!) because it is that awesome.

I have Davis Drug Guide and Tabers, a lab guide, my powerpoints and notes from class, pictures, music, games, etc on that sucker and there is still a ton of room left over (definately make sure you get a PDA with a memory slot).

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

How much do they cost? (a range is fine)

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Palm TX, life saver, but has was stated previously, if you are not tech savy, not worth it. If you need to read it and highlight it, not going to help. I have a couple of people in my class of 24 that would never be able to use them, they don't "work" that way!!

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.

Well, that settles it. I'm getting a Palm TX. (A PDA is required for school).

The TX sells for around $270 - $300. Maybe you can find one cheaper on ebay, but I prefer one new.

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Specializes in Emergency, Transport.

We were required to buy a PDA. The school put everything together as a package for us. (Palm TX, Epocrates 2 year subscription, Tabers medical dictionary, Nursing diagnosis handbook, aluminum case) It was about $500 for the package. We use it allllll the time. Really a great thing to have. TX is easy to use and easy to figure out.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
What's the learning curve on PDAs? If I'm kind of a technophobe, how hard are they to figure out how to lose? I do like the idea of having one, since we're required to bring 1-2 textbooks to clinical each day yet we aren't given anywhere to put them, so I'm always afraid of them walking off. I only know one person who has one, and she hasn't really used it at clinical yet since we're only in Fundamentals.

IMO they are as easy to use as a computer. They're basically set up the same with accessing programs.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
How much do they cost? (a range is fine)

E2 is about $199 Tx is abot $299. You can find them on sale or package deals if you do an internet search. I got my E2 brand new off of Ebay for $127. There are cheaper versions but if you get one make sure it has a memory slot because the internal memory isn't enough.

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What's the learning curve on PDAs? If I'm kind of a technophobe, how hard are they to figure out how to lose? I do like the idea of having one, since we're required to bring 1-2 textbooks to clinical each day yet we aren't given anywhere to put them, so I'm always afraid of them walking off. I only know one person who has one, and she hasn't really used it at clinical yet since we're only in Fundamentals.

They really aren't hard to learn to use but don't make the mistake I made. I bought my Lifedrive & several programs at once. I mostly used my drug book & also my medical dictionary. However, since I had several programs, I had a hard time keeping them straight & knowing which one to go to when I needed to find something out that wasn't in the drug book or the dictionary.

The thing I really liked is that the progarms I bought were from Skyscape. They sell you the programs for the PDAs but also supply the same program for you PC. Maybe other companies do this also but I'm familiar with Skyscape. I used the programs on my laptop all the time when studying & writing care plans. I had programs for diseases & diagnoses, labs & tests, and signs & symptoms, nursing diagnosis, and even patient teaching sheets. It was a god-send. I love to cut & paste.

Dixie

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I was just looking at Palms website and it says that the Palm TX requires a data plan for Wifi. Does that mean that you can't use the internet on it unless you have a data plan or are you able browse the web on the hospitals service?

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I just got the Palm TX for my birthday, I dont start nursing school till next fall but I already love it!! I have mine hooked up to my wireless internet in my house.. and it was as easy as turning the palm on and in my case putting in the password for our internet... and ur online! it comes with a wifi card installed and all you need to do is go somewhere that has free wifi and you dont pay anything extra. i havent figure out my bluetooth yet though.. still confused why it wont work!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
I just got the Palm TX for my birthday, I dont start nursing school till next fall but I already love it!! I have mine hooked up to my wireless internet in my house.. and it was as easy as turning the palm on and in my case putting in the password for our internet... and ur online! it comes with a wifi card installed and all you need to do is go somewhere that has free wifi and you dont pay anything extra. i havent figure out my bluetooth yet though.. still confused why it wont work!

With the bluetooth you might have to go to the Palm website and download a upgrade. They had some problems with the bluetooth when the TX first came out and the update should fix it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

I don't know if any of you have seen this but here is the PDA forum on here that has all kinds of info about programs and stuff. https://allnurses.com/forums/f234/

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