PDA's in nursing school?

katmint3 · Dec 13, 2004

hi,

just did a presentation on pda use and the nursing student for my nursing infomatics class. this is what i found out:

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storage of case information as a reference
admitting orders in front of you
common testing procedures and results as a reference
specific treatments
hard to spell words
track clinical hours
access to medical dictionaries and drug facts directly at the bedside.
you can send assignments back and forth to faculty and some even have e-mail.

they seem great. my nursing program has a class for graduate students and pda, but i think they would be really useful for the undergraduate as well. i put one on my wishlist for christmas.

they are not that hard to use. if you can access the internet, use microsoft word and e-mail you can use a pda. one draw back is that the screen is small. also don't forget to get back up battery, because if your battery runs out then you lose the information you just saved. most of the time you will be docking your pda up to a pc computer for backup and storage. :rolleyes:

dave1117 · Dec 13, 2004

And for now I only have Tabors Medical Dictionary and Nurses 2005 Drug guide on it and it has been very helpful through my first semester of clinicals. Looking for some other lab value software to help with Med-Surg next semester.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays,

dave :)

RN2Bn2006 · Dec 13, 2004

so can you tell me where to find one, and how much they cost. I've never heard of them, but would love to read about them.

PB

Antelope · Dec 13, 2004

i was thinking of getting one of these too.

My only concern is that I will become too dependent on it, and when I go to take my boards, I will be at a disadvantage. Maybe I should wait until after I graduate. Anyone else have any thoughts on that?

ERnurse07 · Dec 13, 2004

I saw this post and wanted to share that next semester I am part of a study at our university for the use of PDA's during clinical - and I think if they go over well we will be getting them for the rest our school career.

I believe medical students have been using them for a few years now - I know that I have used mine previously in the clinical area and the drug information at your finger tips is invaluable - if you get it for anything - get it fro the Drug guide!!:)

mom-student · Dec 13, 2004

What is the best brand to go with? I have looked at Best Buy and have narrowed it down. There are so many kinds & so many price ranges, it's a difficult decision.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 14, 2004

what is the best brand to go with? i have looked at best buy and have narrowed it down. there are so many kinds & so many price ranges, it's a difficult decision.

i'd recommend the palm operating system -- much more software out there, especially more free software. the palm tungsten e would be a good choice at $149-199. if you'd like to listen to mp3s on your palm, the zire 72 is another good choice, but pricier. it also has a digital camera. after using it for awhile, you'll know if you want to step up to a pricier model or not.

i use it to play games while i'm stuck waiting for something (usually for hubby to finish charting and chatting, since we carpool.) i have policies/procedures, standing orders, tidbits of information, how to spell the fellow's name, hospital phone numbers, pager numbers, a tide chart, budget software, christmas lists, and a letter i'm in the process of writing to my mother-in-law.

hospitalstaph · Dec 14, 2004

Hi,

I have a Palm Zire 71 (they now have a Zire 72) and I love it. I am not in clinicals yet but it does help me keep track of tests and assignments. I also have "Medications and Mother's Milk" (Hale) on it and it works great. Also have my checking account on it. If it is anywhere near as helpful in clinicals as it has been in other areas, it will be a godsend:)

Tracy

Jess-RN in 2006 · Dec 15, 2004

I have a Pocket PC, its an Axim X50 by Dell...it was very exmemberve, a little over $400.00....it is basically a mini-computer, I can download all of my Word files to my palm and have access to them. I also bought myself Mosby's Drug guide, and another program by Mosby called Nursing PDA...this one also has internet, although I havent figured out how to use it yet, the others may also, but it has things like excel, etc....it runs off a microsoft operating system...so far it has come in very handy, for things like keeping lab values, i keep the pathophysiology of diseases and such in mine also. Its really all in what you prefer to have. I prolly could have gone with something a lot less expensive, but i was buying a laptop at the same time and just ordered them together. I have one other classmate who also has a Dell, and right now we are the only ones who have them....

Tony35NYC · Dec 15, 2004

I've been thinking about getting one for the longest time because I hate having to haul all these reference books around. I was looking at the new Palms, especially the latest Tungsten T5. Its got some pretty neat features and a decent amount of memory but it costs $400 :eek: !!!

caffeinism · Dec 15, 2004

On clinicals, I have yet to see a nurse pull out a PDA. It seems like it gets too busy to look up some tid-bit of information. And a dictionary or drug guide always seems to be sitting around the nurses station.

I would be concerned that at work someone would turn the corner and figure I was scheduling a hair appointment in my "to do" list.

I have been looking at the little reference books that they publish, but even then I wonder if they would just sit in my backpack at clinical. As I run around trying to get all the pills past out.

I would certainly have a PDA if they weren't so expensive cause after buying the PDA then you have the software to buy.

I guess as a nursing student, I am always looking for the next best thing to make clincials better, or subdue some paranoia about not knowing it all:uhoh21: . And of course the publishing companies know this is a fear of students which is why there is soooo many "learn it quick and easy" books or "become a pro" manuals of nursing. Just some thoughts:)