Pocket PC, Palm, Blackberry, (which to purchase?)

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I am in my last year of FNP school & I will begin my clinicals in May. Our instructor suggested that we think about purchasing a Pocket Pc, Palm, etc.... for clinicals to use as one of our resources. I have no idea which one to purchase. Which one do you recommend/use? Any (+) or (-) experiences with one that you purchased?

Thanks!

JC

Specializes in NIH Stroke certified.

Hey,

Ivanh3, I have to disagree. Obviously you have trie many of the products, which makes your opinion that much more important, but my Verizon XV6800 Smartphone uses the Pocket PC software and I have NEVER had a problem with it. The battery, even when used often, outlasts my 12-hour shift. I will agree with the statement that the original Pocket PCs crash often and hav bugs during the processing. I have mentioned a lot of assets in my previous column but I can't stress enough that, especially for school, it comes with MS Office, including Power Point.

-Paul

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Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.
Hey,

Ivanh3, I have to disagree. Obviously you have trie many of the products, which makes your opinion that much more important, but my Verizon XV6800 Smartphone uses the Pocket PC software and I have NEVER had a problem with it. The battery, even when used often, outlasts my 12-hour shift. I will agree with the statement that the original Pocket PCs crash often and hav bugs during the processing. I have mentioned a lot of assets in my previous column but I can't stress enough that, especially for school, it comes with MS Office, including Power Point.

-Paul

There are plenty of good Win Mo phones that work, but not all do in terms of what medical software works. Some of the medical apps like the Sanford guide doesn't work on all win mo phones due to screen res. The battery life is good for most win mo phones. I still think even the newer ones are slow compared to most other platforms. That is a fairly consistent complaint about win mo phones. I wasn't really referring to crashes, etc. They are fairly solid phones

As of today I am trialing an iPhone. I found a cheap unlocked 2g version. I will put it through the trials with what software I can. We shall see!

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Specializes in Emergency, MCCU, Surgical/ENT, Hep Trans.

Ivan, you will NOT be disappointed! esp w/the new Epoc.

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Specializes in ICU, CV-Thoracic Sx, Internal Medicine.

I use the iPhone for my clinicals. Works great and battery life hasn't been an issue. As a student, I'm constantly looking things up, I can't imagine using it more than I already do. With that said, I don't know where I would find time to surf or chat it up on my iPhone at work/clinicals......I'm just too busy.

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Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.

So far so good. I really like this phone (original iPhone). I paid $125 for it. Unlocked it without a hitch and use it on TMobile (which I love). No 3G or visual voice mail, but not necessary at this point. Maybe by the time I graduate the next iPhone will be out. We shall see.

In terms of software, though, I still stand by my Centro. I use Epocrates Essentials as my main suite. It works on iPhone, but I don't want to switch my subscription over just yet. You can only do that so many times. I have one switch left. I also frequently use the USBMIS suite (Sanford guide, Tarascon, and Current Consult in Medicine) and Thomson Clinical Xpert. I believe USBMIS is close to an iPhone release, but I have no idea about Clinical Xpert and it really is a sweet suite.

The Centro is not sexy, but it works well and again, runs everything. I am sure in a couple of years, maybe even sooner, that will all be different. But hey, no worries...I just swap the SIM card out and use the CENTRO for clinicals/work and iPhone for all the rest.

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Specializes in STICU/NICU/CCU/ER.

i phone, would not be without it, ton of free apps that I use a bunch.

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Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.

Update:

In terms of all around use, you can't beat this iphone. I love it, and I can't wait to see what the new hardware will look like. Having said that, I am still carrying around my palm device for my medical apps. I hate to say, but the iphone, while not slow, does not load the medical stuff as fast. I have Epocrates Essentials on the iphone, and it takes awhile to load. On my old Palm device (Tungsten E) it just pops right up. Plus, non of the USBMIS stuff (Tarascon, Sanford Guide, etc) have materialized for the iphone yet. For now I use my iphone as my phone/organizer and for clinicals and work I use either my Centro or Palm TX.

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I have a Nokia E71 which is great but I can't use Epocrates on it. I'm wondering if I should just get a palm device for Epocrates.

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I loved my palm and epocrates I even have the premium version so i have access to labs etc.,-until i met the iphone....*big luscious sigh *over the easier user interface, but i can't let go of my palm tx just yet......

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I got a blackberry (because my practice is changing charting). Was a convicted Palm user but love my BB. And...its got all the apps.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Med/Surg, Pedi.
I have a Nokia E71 which is great but I can't use Epocrates on it. I'm wondering if I should just get a palm device for Epocrates.

I heard that you can buy an i phone touch...it's not a phone but has all the other stuff an i phone has

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Med/Surg, Pedi.
I loved my palm and epocrates I even have the premium version so i have access to labs etc.,-until i met the iphone....*big luscious sigh *over the easier user interface, but i can't let go of my palm tx just yet......

Can you be more specific about which palm you are referring to...palm texas I think...

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