Do I Need A PDA For Nursing School?

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 22, 2007

I chose to get a PDA and get software instead of paper. My school is currently evaluating whether PDA are going to be required, so I've been providing feedback over the past 2 semesters. I've got a tech background and like widgets, so I love my PDA. So do my clinicmates, who call it "The Thing" as in "Can you look up such and such on the thing?".

I went with a Dell Axim X3 that has Pocket PC as the OS. Didn't want to have to learn how to navigate the Palm system, sheer laziness on my part. My advice is to get at least 64 Meg of RAM. As with all computers, ain't no substitute for cubic inches. Load your software onto a separate card. 256K will give you tons of room.

Here's what I have loaded:

Davis Drug Guide - use it daily

Mosby IV Meds07 - use it daily

Tabers medical dictionary - use it daily

Davis RNotes2 - use it daily

Davis Lab & Diagnostic Tests - use it a lot but not daily

Archimedes - use it rarely

JMHO

courtj5 · Apr 22, 2007

this is very useful, thank you - someone suggested a Tungsten by Palm - what are your thoughts there?

richardjboro1 · Apr 23, 2007

I have a tungsten, and I love it. It works great on my Mac, and I love the Davis drug guide. Use it CONSTANTLY .....

NursinOrBust · Apr 23, 2007

I bought the Tungsten E2 and love it. It is also offered with the portable keyboard package in case I want to type notes. The software comes with a tutorial and overall it is very easy to use. I was just introduced to the Epocrates software from a recent nursing grad who uses it all of the time on the job. Here is the link and you can download the Rx program for free to see if you like it.

http://www.epocrates.com/

Hope this helps!

KrysyRN, BSN · Apr 23, 2007

I bought a Palm TX and love it. I bought a bunch of programs from Skyscape.com, and I use the Davis Drug Guide and Taber's alot while in clinicals. I would recommend getting one.

justme1972 · Apr 23, 2007

I chose to get a PDA and get software instead of paper. My school is currently evaluating whether PDA are going to be required, so I've been providing feedback over the past 2 semesters. I've got a tech background and like widgets, so I love my PDA. So do my clinicmates, who call it "The Thing" as in "Can you look up such and such on the thing?".
I went with a Dell Axim X3 that has Pocket PC as the OS. Didn't want to have to learn how to navigate the Palm system, sheer laziness on my part. My advice is to get at least 64 Meg of RAM. As with all computers, ain't no substitute for cubic inches. Load your software onto a separate card. 256K will give you tons of room.
Here's what I have loaded:
Davis Drug Guide - use it daily
Mosby IV Meds07 - use it daily
Tabers medical dictionary - use it daily
Davis RNotes2 - use it daily
Davis Lab & Diagnostic Tests - use it a lot but not daily
Archimedes - use it rarely
JMHO

If you don't mind...about what did the package you purchased run?

laurainri · Apr 23, 2007

OMG !!! get a PDA... save your back. we laugh in nursing school beacuse you know who thoses students are because we are the ones that are rolling around suitcases full of books. In the middle of the first semester I switched to a palm TX. Best investment I have ever made. We are not required to have one like other colleges here and I wish that they did. Would have saved myself a lot of money and hassle. It's the only way to go.

laurainri · Apr 23, 2007

If you don't mind...about what did the package you purchased run?

I think in palm.com it is called Nursing central and it costs $149.00 that is not including the IV Med book. Ant book that you can get for your palm is usually the same amount that it would cost for a paper version. I didnt get the RN notes. I wish that I had gotten Ackley's Nrs Diag. though

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Apr 23, 2007

My school requires a PDA which is funny because the students were required to buy them through the school and many of them don't work.

I supplied my own and have an HP Pocket PC. Love it. My classmates have Dells.

On my PDA I have the following from Skyscape (some were free)...

Archimedes Medical Caluculator (this may have been free)

CheckRx (I believe this was a freebie

ARTbeat

Davis Drug Guide

Food Guide (free?)

ICD-9-CM

MedAlert (free)

Nursing Procedures

RN Assess 4

RN Diseases

RN Labs4

Tabers

I know the required programs from school were about $200. Anything above was either free or included in that $200.

I also have these freebies (some aren't on my new PDA because I need to configure some things but these were all on my old and most on my new)...

http://www.epocrates.com/

http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/medical/diagnosaurus/index.html

http://www.immunizationed.org/anypage.aspx?pagename=shotspocketpc

http://www.fppda.com/free.html#free

http://www.acc.org/qualityandscience/clinical/palm_downloadpcpocket.htm

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/COM/content/div_TX/COM_5_1x_The_C-Tools_20.asp

Edited to add a biggie....

http://www.micromedex.com/products/clinicalxpert/

I also have some documents though they aren't used a lot...

Meal intake card

Morse fall scale card

Information about O2 delivery and basics. Also basic vital signs for different age groups.

Palm v Pocket PC...matter of opinion. I don't want a Palm. Others will say Palms are great. I know a high level techie guy who said Palm may not be around for the long run.

queenjean · Apr 23, 2007

I am a technophobe; I am also an LPN and a 4.0 student in an LPN to RN program. I am surviving just fine without a PDA. Would it be helpful? Maybe. Depends upon your definition of helpful. Sometimes you gotta operate within your level of comfort when time is short; for me, I like a book first, a laptop next, and a PDA is LOOOOOOW on my list. I just lose the sucker, anyhow.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 23, 2007

If you don't mind...about what did the package you purchased run?

Pricing for software is essentially the same as for the books, so it ran a couple of hundred bucks.

Here's the bottom-line for me: I really like the ability to look things up at the medcart and bedside if necessary. I've had patients ask something about a med or test that I didn't know off the top of my head. I simply say, "good question, let's find out." and look it up on the PDA. The patient gets fast and accurate information and my to-do list doesn't grow.

Technology is at its best when used to supplement but not replace knowledge. The PDA essentially serves as a overflow reservoir for my brain.