Best PDA for new SRNA student

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My best friend in the world will be starting her anesthesia program this summer. Which PDA do you find works the best for you? Trying to decide on the best one for her. (it is a surprise gift) I know what I use doesn't need all of the files that you usually use on a daily basis.

Have any of you seen the new "Life Drive" by Palm?

Thanks in advance............... :)

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No takers? :o

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Hiya Suzanne!!!

I haven't seen that one that you mention but I use the Palm Tungsten T3. Hubby got it 2 years ago when I started school so I'm sure there are newer or updated versions out there but it is great...truly great. You can load programs on it---the main thing that I use it for but of course it does a lot more. I use it on clinicals all the time for drug reference, calculations, diagnoses, etc. etc.

So......I recommend it highly!

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I love the tungsten E. It has plenty of memory and will accomodate a memory card as well - will hold plenty of nursing-related stuff as well as personal calendar, photos (although it does not take photos as does Zire 71/72) and also interfaces with Word, Excel and PowerPoint allowing for viewing/editing of documents - good for students. It retails for around $200. I think Palm has updated it but the price should be about the same.

The Palm calendar can also be set to interface with outlook on your PC so that is a nice feature as well.

As far as I am concerned it is the best all-round value and model.

There is a site called http://www.pdacortex.com that has a listserv you can join - lots of very knowledgeable people - and freebie software to download.

Also if you will visit http://www.freewarepalm.com they have some good things under their medical section (and a few good games too, good for waiting rooms and such).

Disadvantage of the TungstenE - its not waterproof (LOL)!!! My daughter spilled iced tea on mine and it died...now I have to wait to be able to afford a new one...I'm lost without it!!

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I will be starting in September and I have done a lot of research and played with a lot of different pdas. What I purchased was a T5 by palm. I have used it in the clinical setting at work and find it very helpful. There are a bunch of programs on the internet that make it unbelievable while in practice. Epocratese was another thing that I found very useful also. It has a trial rx program to try.

The thing I like best about the T5 is the large screen and the memory. I have added many programs and it is still only half full. There is also a place for additional memory cards or if you want Wi-Fi. The PDA already has Bluetooth but it just gives you options. Good luck with your hunt

Shawn

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

I was very happy with my Tungsten E, until I broke it. I love my T5, and it's in a hard case. Get the hard case. Mine is dinged and dented all over, but my T5 is ok.

I've only recently seen the ads for the Life Drive. I want one a lot, but it seems a little hard to justify. If I didn't already have a T5, I'd definitely get the Life Drive instead.

On the other hand, you can buy a lot of software for the difference in price between an E or E2 and a T5 or Life Drive.

Just be sure and get the hard case.

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I made a post a while back similar to this one asking which one I should get for myself starting school. I believe the consensus was to ask the program director which one the school suggested and what programs. So if you know which school your friend is going to just give them a call and I am sure they would give you some suggestions. Good Luck...what a good friend you are!

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I have been using PDAs since they were created. Just not sure what the amount of material that the anesthesia students are needing to download.

Torn between the Tungsten T5 and the Life Drive. Any users of these out there?

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Take a look at the Tungsten C .. Keyboard on the bottom of the unit is MOST handy. I use mine many times each day.

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Take a look at the Tungsten C .. Keyboard on the bottom of the unit is MOST handy. I use mine many times each day.

I also have the Tungsten C and one reason I chose it was because of the keyboard. I also use mine daily and track my cases with it.

Sprout :nurse:

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I would recommend the Dell V50v for 420.00 at Dells websight. I had a Tungsten E it died after 20 months. The Dell comes with a 2 year warranty that you can extend to 3 years for 21.00. A great thing about the Dell is that it has voice recording so if you need to do notes on the fly you can. It has bluetooth and wi-fi. Tons of memory.

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OK, since you started it...I'm also a Dell fan. I have the 416mhz version ($260)and a Rhinoskin hard case ($35).

I've never owned a Palm-based PDA. I think the Pocket PC is more versatile, but the Palm is faster, uses less memory, and has more (and more free) stuff available. Since memory is cheap, that isn't an issue anymore. My old 166mhz HP was dog slow, but the dell works nice.

A pulmonologist was asking the nephrologist how to calculate the FENa (fraction of excreted Na) yesterday. She was struggling with the formula. Out comes my PDA (the nephrologist balked and said that it wasn't "intelectually stimulating"to cheat...but did not have the ability to do the math anyhow). I punched the labs into Archimedes (free from Skyscape) and pow! we had the value.

I worked my last shift as a bedside ICU nurse FOREVER yesterday!!!

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