iPod use in LTC facility

At my facility we have ipod touches that are connected to the call bell system. You get an instant message when somebody is ringing telling you what room. Also we use facetime chat to communicate to nurses on the other unit when away from the phones.

I use my personal ipod at work (LTC) - Davis Drug Book, epocrates pill Id, and a lab value program most often.

Institution policy...

Some do some don't.

I left a hospital in San Diego that would write you up on the spot if you even had one out.

(It didn't matter if you had your ACLS algorithms installed or not)

Our nursing program required us to have an ipod touch or iphone and buy a very expensive app ($180 for the app alone). The app has to be used to complete med sheets at our clinical site. The LTC staff didn't care if we used them openly but the hospital staff where we are currently at gets peeved if we use our ipods even at the nurses station. I guess they get written up if they even have their phones on them, much less have them out.

We cannot use any type of electronic device in my facility. It leaves me at a total disadvantage because I love using resources. It makes no sense to me but the powers that be strongly enforce this rule. Hopefully things will change because I'm about ready to quit.

I have an iphone and I am frequently looking up meds, MD phone numbers/addresses. I mostly use it to message with the doctor and to look up things on the internet for work (we dont have any computers for nurse use)

Texting and talking on cells phones is forbidden at my LTC. I too have the Davis Drug Guide and a few other medical apps on my phone, it's helped tremendously in my med pass. No, I wasn't given permission to use the apps during my shift, but I've come to learn that I am responsible for my license and would rather be safe than sorry!

Thanks everyone. I agree it can make it easier when you can have information at your finger tips. I have notes on mine reminding me of SBAR, care plans etc. I know home health nurses are really utilizng them. I hope more apps will be created that might appeal to the facilities :)

In nursing school we had PDAs provided to us with expensive nursing software for which was part of our fees. When i started working, I used my iPhone as a timer mostly. I set an alarm for every hour I needed to give meds. I also would set reminders for other thing too. It really helped so I wouldnt forget anything. I didn't get cell signal in the hospital and we had Internet on our computers I could use to look up stuff.

Now doing hopspice, I couldnt do it without my iPhone. I need it as a phone, GPS, Internet reference and much more.

Cell phones are not really allowed on the floors where I work in LTC however I do use my Ipod touch with no issues despite the facility having no wifi which is fine with me

I don't think I'm all that old or old fashioned, but many of us have went thru school and our first few nursing years without these devices. (I graduated in 96) They sound like they would make things so much easier and researching things so much quicker, but don't forget, there are other ways.

I understand if these are a requirement for school. That is a different story.

If I need to look up a med, I look for a nursing drug reference first then the PDR and if I can't find something I would probably call the pharmacist and talk to them and have them fax something over. We don't techinically have computer access at work except for the cna charting/ care tracker and there is a way to access the internet thru that (but it is a hassle)

I'm amazed that a call bell system can be accessed thru itouches now days....neato! I'd love to know what other things the facility is doing?? Is this connected to a hospital?