I-Pad Use By Nurses

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I just got an I-Pad and am wanting to use it on the unit and am interested in hearing from nurses who use different apps on the unit and if you would recommend them or not. I teach and my program requires the Nursing Central Bundle for all of our students, so I have that app and am familiar with it. I also have Epocrates, Micromedex, PubMedTap, several apps that give me access to online journals for my specialty, Littmann Soundbuilder and GE Clinical Images.

Does anyone use the I-pad for taking report and making notes throughout the shift and if so, what app do you use for that?

Does anyone use it for commenting on Microsoft Word documents (ie grading for me), as I think it would be much easire to grade a careplan using a stylus with the I-pad instead of using bubble comments in Microsoft Word as I am currently doing. I have downloaded Notetaker HD and I-annotate apps, and am interested if there are others to consider.

Any ideas would be appreciated! Much thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Unless you can keep it on you at all times, I'd leave it at home

I'm an APN and even though I rarely have to lay my down, I try to leave it at home unless I have something I just have to have it for.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Tele, ICU.

I never bring mine to work. I have nursing apps on it, but its more for fun.

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The first thing I thought of when reading the title to this thread, was leaving it on top of a med cart or at the nurses station, and bingo, it is gone. That is what I would be concerned about, considering how often stethoscopes and pens get stolen.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

There's an old saying, "never bring anything with you that you can't afford to lose." I think to bring an IPad to work is SO risky. There's no way you could always have it with you. It would probably disappear within the first few times you take it to your job.

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Thanks for the replies. I have considered the issue of not leaving it laying around, due to the possibility of theft. We've been using I-touch devices and cell phones, but those can be easily stored in pockets. I have recently seen PT and OT using I-pads to assist those who need help communicating, as they can use the touch screen to press words and point to objects. Their I-pads have frames around them to protect them and also a screen cover that can be wiped off between patients for infection control purposes. I-pads are creeping into the clinical settings, so we can either be early adopters or sit back and wait to see how others use them. I am more inclined to be an early adopter of this technology.

As we do many hours in Sim Lab, we can use I-pads there without the issue of theft being prevalent. What I am most interested in here is what apps we can use to augment clincial experiences and recommend to students, be it in the actual clinical setting, Sim Lab, or at home doing clinical paperwork. And, for the instructors who grade clinical paperwork, what apps are most user friendly for stylus-type grading?

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

I asked about this recently. There is a doc that I work with who has downloaded all of our charting capabilities on his iPad so that he can chart and walk from room to room. The only drawback is that if somehow he misplaces it or it gets stolen, there is a heckuva lot of pt info that someone can access. So....nope. Not gonna do it.

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

I'm a tecky and would say that it sounds like a good idea. I know that you probably take cell phones etc... to view the apps so why not take the Ipad? I would think it would be easier due to screen size treating it almost like a clip board but with the ability to bring up info, the ability to input data (ie;student scores etc...).

They aren't really that big; you could probably find a lab coat that had a side pocket big enough to store it when not in use or a sling. It wouldn't be that hard to put in a holding pocket in a lab coat for the purpose of holding the Ipad.

Finally; someone who thinks it's a good idea! ;)

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I am just finishing my junior year at a BSN program and have been using an iPad for the entire year. I am a non-traditional student and come from a tech background FYI. I use a regular notebook with my med sheets and patient info in it, just like all the other nurses do, and my iPad is attached to the binders (see mounting system info below). I also use several different types of keyboards, but I do like the Apple keyboard best. It's not as portable but is great for typing everything on it. I also use my iPad for all of my note taking in the classroom and have several nursing textbooks on it.

How have I used it at the hospital? Here are the apps:

Nursing Central - drug guide, medical / nursing information, medical dictionary

Merck manual - medical info

Unbound medicine apps - nursing Dx apps (NANDA stuff), patient assessment apps

Clinical Evidence app - for evidence based procedure information

MediMath - 220 medical and nursing calculations

Eye Chart Pro - instant eye exams, and yes I have used it and it confirmed a problem

ColorTest - color blindness tests - used it on a patient as well

3D Brain - use this for patient education

Verbally - used this on a stroke patient as a communication device

Pages - word processing

GoodReader - best PDF and document reader out there

keynote - use for patient education slideshows I create for diseases, etc

Those are the big ones. If I was an employee I could also access their Citrix systems and interface directly with their mainframes. I have helped a few doctors do this...one of them is a radiologist and uses it to show patients their x-rays.

Over the summer I am going to write a few nursing apps for myself just to learn the programming language. Tech, and iPads are going to have a huge place in hospitals and right now there are few individuals that know how to integrate everything...but it will come.

Mounting system:

http://www.amazon.com/iMount-Systems-iBinder-Accessory-Binder/sim/B004C6OIWY/2

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I brought my 2007 drug book to the floor and in less than 1 day, it was stolen. I can only imagine how long an iPad will stay on the unit.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
I brought my 2007 drug book to the floor and in less than 1 day, it was stolen. I can only imagine how long an iPad will stay on the unit.

YEP! Exactly what I was thinking. One of my fave surgeons gave me his Steelers OR hat in the hall one day, so I put it in my mailbox (where a limited number of people have access) and it was gone in a couple of hours.

While I am not worried that the OP would leave her iPad laying around, the temptation sure would be there if she left it unattended for even a few minutes.

OP, I like your ideas regarding the usage of an iPad. I can only imagine that it helps with pt's who have a hard time communicating. Kudos to you!

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I just wonder about being an early-adopter of what? IPads are fun devices but who knows if they will be commonly used devices in the nursing profession, down the road? You could simply be training yourself on a device that never gets foothold in the day to day of nursing. If you think it could help make your current day more efficient, give it a shot. But to implement it because you believe it will be commonly used amongst nursing in a few years is a mistake imo.

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