Which PDA do you recommend, and can it be a cell phone too to use in hospitals?

WhitDogg19 · Jul 16, 2005

Hi Vivi - I might have an idea for you. I purchased a PalmOne Treo 650 last year - it basically does everything but the dishes and your laundry! :yelclap: It is a PDA, a cell phone, an MP3 player, calculator, camera, camcorder, calendar....EVERYTHING! You can even go online to check email and get full web pages! I have my plan through Sprint, but I believe that a bunch of other cell phone carriers have now started using them, too. As far as the memory goes, you can certainly bump it up a bunch with a memory card (similar to that in a camera), therefore you can store all your music, programs, downloads, yadda yadda (all your nursing programs, of course!). Some of the programs that they have available are on the PalmOne website. I believe that Mosby's has a drug reference for nurses available for PalmPilot. I think Giddens also has a Nursing PDQ out there. Both very helpful.

The nice thing about the phone, is that because it has so much stuff that you can do with it, you can certainly turn off the phone portion of the PalmPilot, and still use everything else while not interfering with any equipment! This phone is fabulous! Honestly, I don't know how I survived without it!

Downside - PRICE! :angryfire It costs about $600, however most people get the $150 off coupon when they sign up, so it will be about $450. Of course, after you purchase the phone you will have to decide which plan is best for you, and then you can also add all the bells and whistles.

Couple of pieces of advice - the phone is a little bit heavier than other cell phones. You can purchase a case for the phone that has a nice clip on it, and will also help to protect the phone if dropped. It costs too much $$$ to not be too careful! Also, INSURANCE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE! It will only cost you like $5 a month, and if anything happens to it, you can get a new one for only a little bit! So worth it - I had mine run over by a car once and they replaced the whole thing! :yeah:

Good luck - if you need anymore help or want anymore info, just let me know!

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 16, 2005

I have the treo 650, it is such a useful smartphone/pda etc. Read the website so you can get the entire 411. www.palmone.com

Best wishes :)

elFNP · Jul 16, 2005

I'm a 2nd semester nursing student; I have a Microsoft Windows PC, and I am thinking of purchasing a PDA to help me later in my career as a RN (I don't know what specialty yet).
-What are you favorite PDAs? Can you add a memory stick to it, or do they have a large memory capacity?
-I'm also wondering whether to get one, which can also be used as a cell phone as well. I suppose cell phones cannot be used in hospitals because they may interfere with the equipment? Is that the case?
-can you listen to MP3 music (in particular from Yahoo Music Engine) on your PDA? (not in the hospital of course)
-also, what programs do you recommend?
Thank you all very much in advance!

I would recommend the Tungsten E. That's what I use. Its about $199. It's basic and not a real high end gadget. It should have enough memory for you to install needed references for what you will be doing.

prmenrs, RN · Jul 16, 2005

In a lot of hospitals, esp. Critical Care Units, you are not permitted to use cell phones. Be sure to check!!

Vivi · Jul 16, 2005

Thank you so much for all this great info!!! :thankya: I may get the treo or tungsten; they both look very good!