Taber's or Mosby's

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I just wanted to get some opinions, I am starting NS in the fall and our program requires either Taber's or Mosby's Medical Dictionary. I was wondering if anyone could tell me which they thought was better. Also I have been looking and am trying to find out if Mosby's is also available for the pocket pc like Taber's. Any input would be great.

Thanks

Piggysk

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Specializes in Chiropractic assistant, CNA in LTC, RN.

I have a Mosby's dictionary because my school required it. Later on, one of my instructor's recommended a Tabor's but I didn't have the money to purchase a second dictionary. I looked thru Tabor's and I would say either book is fine. I really haven't used my dictionary that much but it was nice to have. I'm sure I'll use it during my career as well. Amazon lets you look inside some of their books online. If you can do that with the dictionaries, you could take a look at both and see which one YOU prefer. You could also look at your school bookstore and check both of them out in person before deciding which one to buy.

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I love my Tabers! I am actually on my second one and I haven't used any other dictonary that compares to it at all, in my opinion.

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TABER'S TABER'S TABER'S!

and this thread might be helpful :wink2:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/taber-s-medical-dictionary-220916.html

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I have to say that if they made a hip holster for the Taber's ... I would buy it!

..................................................:yeahthat:

I had to buy the Mosby's Dictionary of medicine,nursing and health professionals for NS and it is not bad.

I have had my Taber's for 3 years almost and I know it from cover to cover, and it is way lighter than the Mosby's!

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I have both, but I have to say that I use Tabers more. That's because I have it in hard copy and I have a PDA version which came with a free computer web version. This has proven to be useful when writing careplans etc. Also it is nice not to have to carry the hard copy around. I have pulled out my PDA during class and looked up words that I don't know the meaning of. I am donating my Mosby's to the incoming class. I just have too many books piled everywhere. I need to simplify and organize myself better. =)

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Specializes in ED.

Forget them both! Save your money. Use the NIH online Medical dictionary (available as the first link under a Google search for Medical dictionary).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html

You really may never need the actual book. You can use your money for so many other things - really!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

i have both dictionaries. i prefer taber's. it is designed and written for nurses. the entries in the mosby's dictionary are not as comprehensive as taber's, and the mosby title tells you that it is for "allied health" as well as nursing. overall, the biggest difference to me is their size. taber's is smaller and easier to haul around. it's pages are like onionskin is why. if you drop mosby's on your foot you're going to the hospital to be fitted with a cast.

they both have extensive appendixes and it is here that there are some differences.

  • what they both have:
    • a list of the muscles, joints, nerves, arteries and veins with a description of them
    • units of measurement (and conversion factors)
    • medical symbols and abbreviations
    • medical terminology - a alphabetized listing of medical word roots, prefixes and suffixes
    • english-spanish-french translation for common medical terms
    • american sign language alphabet
    • nutrition section
    • latest cdc/and osha infection control guidelines
    • alphabetic list of normal lab reference values for hematology, chemistry, therapeutic drug monitoring, urine chemistry, gi function tests, immunologic function tests
    • health related organizations (ex: american cancer association)
    • listing of professional nursing associations
    • medical coding
      • diagnosis related groups

      [*]nanda approved nursing diagnoses (but see below)

    [*]what taber's has

    • english with latin and greek equivalents/the greek alphabet/roman numerals
    • a listing of the phobias
    • medical emergencies and what to do - poisoning and other (18 pages)
    • a glossary of computer language
    • conceptual models and theories of nursing
    • nanda approved nursing diagnoses
      • gordon's functional health patterns - the nursing diagnoses are classified into the 11 functional patterns
      • doenges and moorhouse's diagnostic divisions (these are the diagnostic divisions used by nanda in taxonomy ii) - the nursing diagnoses are classified into their 13 divisions
      • nursing diagnoses grouped by diseases/disorders (similar to the cross index in the ackley/ladwig nursing diagnosis reference book)
      • the taxonomy for all the diagnoses - the defining characteristics are broken down into those that are subjective and objective

    [*]what mosby's has

    • a tabular (just a list--not pictures) of the components of the major systems of the human body (ex: under the endocrine system the list all the hormones produced by each gland and their action)
    • assessment guidelines for adults, pediatrics, functional geriatrics, the family and the environment - these are not forms and are more of a review (history-taking). [taber's has a 7-page patient assessment form in the center of it under the listing of "nursing"]
    • a list of which herbs interfere with the various lab tests
    • table of desired weight for men and women
    • recommended immunization schedules
    • child and adult preventative care guidelines
    • a extensive listing of alternative medicine and therapies explaining each and listing the address of any professional association connected with them
    • pharmacology - much of this information is also in any nursing drug reference book
      • drug calculation formulas/iv flow rate formulas
      • common drug interactions
      • top 200 brand names drugs by prescription [a current list can always be found online at http://www.rxlist.com/], look alike/sound alike drugs, adverse drug affects during pregnancy
      • a listing of herbs and natural supplements and drug interactions

      [*]listing of the poison control centers in the u.s. by state

      [*]nanda approved nursing diagnoses

      • the taxonomy for all diagnoses
      • taxonomy i to taxonomy ii nomenclature conversion
      • a section that lists diagnoses that are appropriate to use with specific diseases, disorders and procedures (similar to the cross index in the ackley/ladwig nursing diagnosis reference book)
      • a list, only a list and nothing specific, of nic (nursing interventions classification)
      • a list, only a list and nothing specific, of noc (nursing outcomes classification)
      • the omaha classification system

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I don't have one yet, but I plan on getting one for my palm and when I do, it'll be Tabers.

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.

Taber's Rules!!

Mex

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.
I have to say that if they made a hip holster for the Taber's ... I would buy it!

..................................................:yeahthat:

I had to buy the Mosby's Dictionary of medicine,nursing and health professionals for NS and it is not bad.

I have had my Taber's for 3 years almost and I know it from cover to cover, and it is way lighter than the Mosby's!

They have, it's called the PALM PDA...lol

Mex

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

Wow- shocking results. I say Mosby's hands down! We were sold Taber's in our book packet- but my employment at the time had just purchased Mosby's...and I would wait until I was at work to do my homework because I thought it was SO much better. I think I only opened my own medical dictionary a handful of times...but would sit and READ through the Mosby's at work in downtime!

Unless it's truly required though...another poster is right...you can find it all online.

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