PDA's

[mona b RN]

Hi everyone,

I am starting nursing school in January and I was wondering how many students use PDA's. I asked Santa for one but I wanted to see how popular they were on this board. Do you find that you use the PDA all the time or is it something that sits in the drawer (SP?) I know some students use them for pharmacology but what else do you use them for?

Anyway, just curious to see how new students use technology to help them in their studies.

mona

[tdg_rn]

Originally posted by mittels

Am I way off base if I ask

What is a PDA?

Am I like so far behind in times that I need to catch up?

Nah, you're not that bad off...If you don't know what it is you're probably doing fine without it. It's just another one of those gadgets we are using to eliminate using a portion of our brains. :wink2:

I'm sure you have seen the electronic phone books and calendars they have made for years. You know, the things that look like calculators they have in most department stores for $20 or $30. A PDA is one of those on steroids. In addition to what the little organizers do, they will run various add-on applications. I think technically it is Personal Digital Assistant.

I don't know how useful it will be once I get in to Nursing but I sure as heck can't live without it now...

[LauraLou]

There are so many great programs for PDA's, my problem is I can't afford them all. If you had to pick 2 programs to buy what would you choose, Taber's Dictionary, RN Fast Facts, Davis Drug Guide, Davis Handbook of Lab Tests, Lippincott Manual of Nursing Procedures, etc?

Thanks for your help!

[CarVsTree]

I'm in the same boat as you. Since Taber's and Davis Drug Guide are in my booklist I chose them. If you buy both together at Skyscape.com you'll get 15% off. Also they'll be linked on your device so you'll be able to switch from one to another.

[kimtab]

I just bought a Palm Tungsten E. I'm so excited, I can't wait until it gets here!

Kim

[suzy253, RN]

Kim.....That's what I just got. You're gonna love it. It's fantastic! Have fun.

[LilRedRN1973]

Well I went to the epocrates support website and the program cannot be downloaded to a memory card.

I just re-downloaded Epocrates onto my memory card, so it can be done. It was taking up WAY too much room on my internal memory so I put it on my 256k memory card about 2 weeks ago. Keep trying to get it on your memory card and ignore whatever the website says. What I did was download it onto my desktop Palm program, then when I went to install it onto my actual unit itselt, I highlighted the "Change Destination" button at the bottom and, voila! It's now on my memory card. But one caveat: it does take a while to access from the memory card...at least on my PDA.

[mona b RN, BSN, RN]

If you buy both together at Skyscape.com you'll get 15% off. Also they'll be linked on your device so you'll be able to switch from one to another

I like how they are linked together. I didn't realize that this was a feature from skyscape.

Quick question, I am trying to access my email and I want to stay signed in but the device will not let me, is there any way around that?

[tdg_rn]

mona b -

Are you using VersaMail or another app? Also, is the connection via WiFi? If it is there is a setting in your Preferences menu for WiFi that tells it to 'Conserve Energy'. I believe if you turn it off it will fix your problem. This makes your WiFi connection disconnect while not in use to save the battery.

Feel free to PM me. As you can tell from the posts, I'm all about the PDA's!

12 days and counting till classes start...

Terence

[opalmRN]

Originally posted by RNnTraining1973

I just re-downloaded Epocrates onto my memory card, so it can be done. It was taking up WAY too much room on my internal memory so I put it on my 256k memory card about 2 weeks ago. Keep trying to get it on your memory card and ignore whatever the website says. What I did was download it onto my desktop Palm program, then when I went to install it onto my actual unit itselt, I highlighted the "Change Destination" button at the bottom and, voila! It's now on my memory card. But one caveat: it does take a while to access from the memory card...at least on my PDA.

I will try it again tonight but my set up may be a bit different and that may be why I am having trouble. I have the palm software on my PC and there is also an icon for "quick install" which basically I just drop and drag from the desktop into this program and when I sync it transfers to the PDA. It is more less a holding space that will download what ever I put into it without having to promt each program.

I have a couple more days to kill till classes begin so I will try again.

Thanks for the heads up,

C

[tdg_rn]

If yours uses the Palm Quick install there won't be a "Change Destination" button but there are two windows - one for internal memory, the other for the expansion card. Try dragging the app you're talking about to the bottom window and see what it does...

[opalmRN]

Originally posted by tdg_rn

If yours uses the Palm Quick install there won't be a "Change Destination" button but there are two windows - one for internal memory, the other for the expansion card. Try dragging the app you're talking about to the bottom window and see what it does...

Yup I tried that first and it will not work from there either. When I tried that I got an error message that it was a "locked" program.

Well I just tried again and no luck. Any other suggestions?? This is very frustrating as this was the only reason for spending the $$ for a memory card in the first place.

I do thank all of you have been sending suggestions. I will keep trying any additional ones as well.

Tks

C

[mona b RN, BSN, RN]

Are you using VersaMail or another app? Also, is the connection via WiFi? If it is there is a setting in your Preferences menu for WiFi that tells it to 'Conserve Energy'. I believe if you turn it off it will fix your problem. This makes your WiFi connection disconnect while not in use to save the battery.

Thanks tdg, we got it worked out.

mona