PDAs and Nursing

Paper Summary:

The writer of this article argues that in today's fast-paced world in which emergency rooms, doctor offices, clinics and hospitals are overwhelmed with the caseload of patients in need of care, the use of the personal digital assistant (PDA) has become if not a requirement, a definite tool for nursing that is considered non-optional by many nurses and has been adopted into the training program for many school and university nursing programs. The writer maintains that the use of PDAs is expected to experience rapid growth due to the convenience, efficiency, and functionality of the PDA in the role of nursing in that it frees the nurse from rushing back and forth to the tethered PC to input information. The writer explains that the PDA provides a method for the nurse to rapidly access information relating to patient care, drug dosage information and other necessary information required in the role of nursing. The writer concludes that recommendations arising from studies conducted in the top nursing schools across the United States have recognized the benefits of the use of PDAs by nursing staff and are making recommendations and plans for inclusion of PDAs in nursing education curriculum.

Outline:
Introduction
Facts about PDAs
Nursing Competencies
More PDA Facts
Practical Use of PDAs by the Nurse
Attitudes Towards Use of PDAs
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Using PDAs allows nurses to expediently and accurately access current drug and clinical references and medical calculators. Patient's data may be recorded while they work and they may quickly chart and share data in an efficient manner. Patient data can also be organized and tracked easily with the PDA and treatments and assessments are able to be documented in real-time. Another aspect of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is the provision of contact lists, email, date books, and to do lists for personal organization as well as the ability to make word documents and power point presentations."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Davenport, Colleen B. (2007) What Nurses Need to Know about Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) Online available at: http://www.eaa-knowledge.com/ojni/ni/8_3/davenport.htm
• Nursing Informatics Competencies: Self-Assessment (2007) Online available at: http://www.nursing-informatics.com/niassess/competencies.html
• Quan, Kathy (2005) What Would a Nurse Do with a PDA. Nursing. Online available at: http://nursing.about.com/od/nursingsoftware/f/pdasoftware.htm
• Chamberlain, Melissa (2006) Nursing Students' Perceptions of Usefulness and Ease of Use of Personal Digital Assistant Technology in the Classroom and Clinical Setting. Fall 2006. Online available at: http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11132006-160136/unrestricted/mic_thesis4.pdf
• Maag, M. (2006). Nursing students' attitudes toward technology: A national study. Nursing Educator 31(3) 112-118. Retrieved July 20, 2006 from Cinahl database. In Chamberlain, Melissa (2006) Nursing Students' Perceptions of Usefulness and Ease of Use of Personal Digital Assistant Technology in the Classroom and Clinical Setting. Fall 2006. Online available at: http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11132006-160136/unrestricted/mic_thesis4.pdf

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