PDA?????? Can someone tell me ............

UCFpinoSN · Mar 21, 2007

PDA's aren't required at my school, but when I needed a new phone I decided to get the Palm Treo 650. I figured why have 2 things in my pocket when I can have just one. It works great as a reference, I have epocrates and a host of other programs from a medical dictionary to eponyms and little calculation tools (IV drip rates, BMI etc.) I personally find my PDA useful and would recommend having one.

P.S. The nurses on my clinical unit love "borrowing" me to use it.

DiabloFreak · Mar 21, 2007

OMG, a PDA was definatley not one of the requirements for my class. Our teachers told us that if we had time to look up an answer they were not giving us enough to do. Thats kind of funny most of my teachers would not even know what PDA stood for. Of course im down in the south where the hospital just came into the new millenium.

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 22, 2007

OMG, a PDA was definatley not one of the requirements for my class. Our teachers told us that if we had time to look up an answer they were not giving us enough to do.

I can't imagine not being given time to look things up. Yes we are very busy and we don't have a lot of time to look things up. There are a lot of things we aren't allowed to do without having further information and the instructors know it's not in our heads. So if we have to look it up the PDA saves a TON of time!

UCFpinoSN · Mar 22, 2007

.........if these are useful for nursing school....how much did you pay for one,......what kind of software does yours have......and what have you purchased that helps with nursing school>>>>>>>>.
I have been out of school for almos 8 years.....so.....I have kept up a little with technology, but i don't know anything about PDA's......Please help....any info will be helpful about these gadgets......

Top end PDA's usually are about 200-300, the cheapest I've seen was 100. It just depends if you plan on using it for other things to or just as a reference at work. If you don't like carrying things in your pocket you can get a Palm Treo or other "smartphone" but they are usually more, like 300-400. They are basically like mini computers, you can download and load programs onto them from your main computer. Epocrates has a free version of their drug guide, its really good except it doesn't have nursing considerations. In addition they have lots of other free tools you can use too, like BMI calculator, drip rates, narcotic calculator, peds med calc stuff like that. Most other drug guides cost about 40-50 bucks but there are more features, and there are other programs that you can buy or find for free.

The way you use a PDA is with a stylus, which is like a pen that it comes with. You touch the screen with it and use it to type in for example the name of a drug. Depending on the program you can access different menus like "adverse reactions," "peds dosing," "Pregnancy risk category," etc. PDA"s also come with calendars and scheduling, a phonebook, basic stuff to keep you organized. I love mine and use it on a daily basis, it's just another extra step to ensure patient safety by double checking. Hope that helps!

-Brian

Vida · Mar 22, 2007

2 thoughts...

I have just discovered the concept of nurses using pda's - great idea...but are they being used mostly by students? Do many of you use these just at your job? I am sort of interested in looking into these too, but dont need one for school stuff as I am going through the EC program....but i would probably really use it just at work...but I also dont want to look like I dont know what Im doing I guess.

Also, has anyone thought about using apple's new iPhone instead of a pda? I realize they actually dont come out until june, but I think thats where Id put my money. Its a camera, phone, ipod, internet/pda thing all in one - with no stylus...for only like $500 or $600. And they're using cingular/att&t ...I know every once in a while they us letters saying we're eligible to upgrade our phones...wonder if we could get a discount this way.

Vida:smilecoffeecup:

SN1976 · Mar 22, 2007

I have a Dell Axim. Purchase Price $680. Davis Drug Guide, Davis Lab Test, Tabers, 500 Nursing Procedures, Thompson Med Expert & Ackley Nursing DX $360 for all. I love it. It saves me time when studing. When I need to know a definition I have it in seconds. It also helps me with spelling. It is also very helpful in clinical. We are not required to have one. It may be a requirement for the next class. I think it sure is helpful & it saves you time. You can also finance the PDA with Dell. :specs:

COGolfGuy · Mar 23, 2007

Can anyone give me some info on what the differences are between the Windows OS and Palm OS? From what I can tell, they are virtually the same. The same programs are offered and, from what I've seen, the interface is basically the same and functionality is the same. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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

Can anyone give me some info on what the differences are between the Windows OS and Palm OS? From what I can tell, they are virtually the same. The same programs are offered and, from what I've seen, the interface is basically the same and functionality is the same. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It really comes down to preference. You will find some that say Palm is the best and others say go Pocket PC. It's a lot like the PC vs Mac debate. I like my Pocket PC.

Here are some articles comparing. Keep in mind these are several years old and things about the Palm and Pocket PC have changed. They have upgraded and fixed and changed many part of them. The split opinions are basically the same. When reading the articles remember that some things they may say are problems or aren't there may be there now as time has gone on. The debate is basically the same. And all these article basically say the same thing...it's opinion, try them out, figure out what works for you and go from there...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,111825-page,1/article.html

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips/palm_vs_pocketpc.htm

There article is pretty neat as it's from the American College of Physicians

http://www.acponline.org/journals/handhelds/nov02/debate.htm

Scrubz · Mar 23, 2007

Just get what you'll use. Pocket PC's tend to trend more towards media hubs. My Palm TX can play videos and music, but that's not really it's purpose. I use my TX for the medical programs I have, and I put a few games on it. There, I have what I need and I'm not left with functions I'll never use.

For example, a big reason I chose the TX was because it was wireless, but I don't really use it, so what was the point? Stuff like that; don't spend more money on what you don't need.

If you just want something to run stuff like a med. dictionary and drug guides, and an organizer, you don't have to spend nearly as much money as you would buying the top of the line products with all the extra stuff.

Just something to keep in mind.

And for the record I highly reccomend the Palm TX for nursing studetns. If you put the right programs on it it's very, very helpful (nursing constellation, tabers, additional programs here and there). I've had nurses keep telling me, I gotta get one of those!! Normally their $300 but I found mine on a website for $250 brand new, so if you're looking for one, try to find it... Forgot the name of the website though, sorry!

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

And for the record I highly reccomend the Palm TX for nursing studetns. If you put the right programs on it it's very, very helpful (nursing constellation, tabers, additional programs here and there). I've had nurses keep telling me, I gotta get one of those!! Normally their $300 but I found mine on a website for $250 brand new, so if you're looking for one, try to find it... Forgot the name of the website though, sorry!

I think that's an overall for the PDA. I love having my PDA. I have a ton of programs...some I use and some I don't. I do use my PDA a lot. I use it every time you would normally use a book to reference something. So I carry the little PDA rather then a few big books. So much easier. I think it's also quicker because I can reference 2 things off the PDA in the amount of time it would to look in 1 book.

So Pocket PC or Palm...the concept of a PDA is wonderful.

COGolfGuy · Mar 23, 2007

Thank you both. I appreciate the help.

West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2007

shortly after purchasing one (palm tx), a friend who is a nurse said she recommends not having one. that way you know the info in your head for college, but can still use the palm in clinicals. i dunno, what do you guys think?

i think she is absolutely way off base. a pda will help you learn more by having more information readily available.