Help on deciding what pocket guide to purchase.

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Hi everybody. I am in school right now for my RN and I am really interested in getting a pocket guide to take with me to clinicals as well as a quick and easy reference guide for studying for test. I am also interested in one that might help me with physical assessments. The problem is there are so many to choose from and since I can't afford to buy them all I was just wondering what one you thought would be most beneficial. I would also like to know the difference between some of them. Here are the ones I'm interested in:

-RNotes-Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide-by Ehren Myers ***Is there a big difference between RNotes and MedSurg

-Medsurg Notes-Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide-by Ehren Myers

-Mosby's PDQ for RN

-NCLEX-RN Notes by Barbara A Vitale

Also was wondering if anyone has bought Mosby's Assessment Memory Notecards. And if that would helpful in learning how to do assessments or if one of those above would cover it. I have bought some of Mosby's Memory Notecards on Pharm and Fluids and Electrolytes and I haven't used them very often.

Anyway I would love any input you have. I have the most hardest time studying but you get me out on the job and I can learn quick. It's the test that I have a hard time with so it would be nice to have something small like this to carry in my purse and study wherever I go.

Thank you so much,

Kristi

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I have RNotes-Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide-by Ehren Myers. I debated between that and the MedSurg, decided on this one, can't remember why. It seems very complete. It is a definitely a little chunky, but the pages are waterproof. I wish the appendix was a little more complete, sometimes it is hard to find what you're looking for, but probably the more you use it the easier it is. I really like it, but it's the only one I've seen/used.

I have to say my PDA is 10x better for quickly finding stuff, but also is 10x the price.

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I have RNotes and I really like it. It's very handy to have in clinical and has a lot of good information in it, and it fits nicely in your pocket. I don't know how it compares to the Med-Surg notes, though - your best bet is go to the book store and compare the two side-by-side.

For my Physical Assessment class, I was required to buy "Physical Examination and Health Assessment" by Carolyn Jarvis. It is an EXCELLENT book and is such an easy read. If you can find this at your local bookstore (unless you have no problem ordering it off Amazon), I would recommend the Pocket Companion for the Physical Examination and Health Assessment - it's a lot like the actual textbook but in smaller format.

http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Companion-Physical-Examination-Assessment/dp/141603854X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243642035&sr=8-1

Bate's Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking is also really nice. I've seen it in bookstores but I held off on buying it because it was $44.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Physical-Examination-History-Taking/dp/0781780667/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243641936&sr=8-1

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