Do you really need a laptop for nursing school?

RN403, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2014

If you can afford one then sure it will come in handy. Is it a necessity? I would say no. Depending on your school's library hours it might be easier to do assignments really late at night and at your own convenience if you have your own laptop. But, since you have that free access to computers at school, if it works with your schedule then I would not worry about buying a laptop. Of course the decision is yours ultimately.

xiomara17 · Aug 10, 2014

Thanks.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Aug 10, 2014

My program didn't care what computer you used, or if you even had one for you to use. What they did care about was that you had access to a computer to print out what you needed. That being said, we all had a computer to use, but only about 10 of us brought an electronic device to class for taking notes, out of a class of about 40.

As to what brand to buy, well, that's more of what brand is reasonably reliable. My own machine is a Toshiba Satellite that's about 3 years old now. It still runs pretty well. Just look for something that will reasonably run MS Office and videos pretty well. Personally I use minimum specs for X-plane (my favorite flight sim) for something that'll be reasonably future proof for nursing school. If it'll run that, it'll do whatever you need for school quite well for a very long time.

natalieonaje · Aug 10, 2014

If you can afford to purchase it, you should. Most schools use some kind of learning management system (moodle, blackboard, desire to learn, etc) where you have to access the class information such as syllabuses, lectures, messages that the professors communicate to the class, etc. So, it's easier if you have 24 hr access to a computer to be able access valuable information your professors need you to know. Laptops have become more affordable these days (usually less than $500).

gigi_gin · Aug 10, 2014

It will all depend on your nursing program and it's requirements. My program requires that all nursing students have laptops, since we use ebooks and some other things. If your program does not require it then you should be fine using the schools computer, but keep in mind that you will run into the issue of availability, especially during peak hours. I think if you can afford to purchase one, then go for it as it will be a huge convenience for you.

RunBabyRN · Aug 10, 2014

It's not ABSOLUTELY necessary, but I found it ABSOLUTELY made my life easier. I could take it to Starbucks to study, out on the porch, to class to take notes, to study groups, etc. Everything is in one place. I love it!

I have a 13" MacBook Pro, but there are a lot of others that would work.

loriangel14, RN · Aug 10, 2014

I had a computer at home but no lap top.I cannot fathom why some people think it's a neccesity.

PaulBaxter · Aug 10, 2014

There are TWO important questions within this topic. First, exactly what do you need a computer for? You might need it for reading or completing online assignments, or to collaborate on group projects or to write papers or whatever. A laptop might or might not make those things more convenient for you (compared to using a desktop at home or just using school computers).

The other question is at least as important, namely, what would you actually do with a laptop if you had it? In my own life, and I'm sure for many other people, computers can be VERY distracting. If your plan is to use it to take notes in class, I would highly recommend that you save your money and just get several notebooks and pens. There have now been several studies showing that students who bring laptops to class perform significantly worse than those who just use paper. Just look up some of my previous posts if you'd like to see for yourself.

Technology crouches at your door and seeks to master you if you cannot master it. Proceed with caution.

HarryTheCat, MSN, RN · Aug 10, 2014

A lot of your decision is going to depend on just what kind of program you're in. In an LPN program you may not have too much need for one but if you're going into a BSN or graduate program you will undoubtedly find yourself writing lots of papers and downloading hundreds of articles from your school's online library. You may also need to be able to create PowerPoint presentations, posters, etc., so you'll either need to buy the "student version" of MS Office, or use some of the freeware/shareware programs like OpenOffice (or Neo Office for Mac) that you can download from the web. You don't want to be facing a deadline on a paper only to find that every seat in the school's computer center is full or that they're closing in a few minutes. Also, back up all your stuff to cloud storage and/or a thumb drive. After a near-disaster i use the "belt and suspenders" approach and do both, just in case. A crashed hard drive with the only copy of your capstone project on it could ruin your entire life.

I love my iPads and Kindle for casual reading and web surfing, but when it comes to doing anything serious on them those keyboards just don't cut it -- even those after-market snap-on keyboards just don't seem to work as well as a "real" keyboard. And having to write a 2000-word paper by poking one letter at a time with your index finger is an exercise in futility.

If you do purchase a laptop (or any other device for that matter) be sure that it's compatible with your school's systems before you plunk down a sizable wad of cash that could be better spent on books or pizza. There was recent a post somewhere here on AN from a student who went out and bought a new MacBook Pro for school, only to find that the school's systems were not compatible.

Stephalump · Aug 10, 2014

I didn't have a computer in nursing school (laptop died a couple weeks in and I never got around to replacing it) and it was a giant pain in the booty. Yes, the school had plenty of computers, but that wasn't particularly convenient and it tied me to having to go to the school almost every time I needed to study or do assignments...and limited me to the hours the college was open.

I did have an iPad which helped some, but it wasn't a replacement for an actual computer, and many of our assignments required flash, which I didn't have.

Also....I had to pay to print. That added up quickly!

Everline · Aug 10, 2014

I had to go one semester without a laptop and so I know the difference. I would not want to be without one again...not in nursing school. It's not that you have to have one. It's that it makes a huge difference. Having one is very helpful. I have a MacBook Pro and it has been a huge advantage in so many ways.