PDAs and Handheld Computers
Updated 6/3/11
The Graduate Entry Program encourages you to purchase a PDA (personal digital assistant, smartphone, or handheld computer) and software for use in clinical for reference and medication review. An iPad may also be used. However, please be aware that it cannot be placed in your pocket and is therefore at high risk of being stolen or misplaced. If you do not use a PDA, you will need to purchase additional books for reference and bring then to clinical with you.
The PDA will also be very useful in your MSN clinical courses. Patient data can not be stored on your PDA. The PDA is used only for reference. MAC computer users may have some difficulty interfacing with some PDA programs.
PDAs may not be used in class without express permission of the course faculty.
If you buy the following reference PDA software, you will not need to buy the textbook:
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Taber’s Medical Encyclopedia
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A nurse’s drug reference
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A laboratory test or diagnostic test reference
Software Recommendations & Sites:
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www.pepid.com – will bundle
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www.medspda.com
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F.A. Davis Company: Nursing Central for PDA, Web, and Wireless – will bundle
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www.rnpalm.com
There is free software available as well as purchase of entire texts in PDA form. Epocrates does not include nursing implications so it is better for nurse practitioners than nursing students. Epocrates can’t be used as the drug reference.
Purchase a PDA that has sufficient memory and allows for adding a memory card if needed. An example of an appropriate PDA is the Tungsten E2 by Palm. You will have to be able to download and update your PDA on your own computer. You will not be able to use computers at FPB for that purpose. I-Pod Touch, I-Phone & Blackberry are great alternatives from a traditional PDA.
If you have questions about PDAs, contact Ms. Mary de Haan, the course leader for NUND 401.
