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Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Smartphones, and Nursing

What is a PDA? 

A PDA (personal digital assistant) is a handheld computer.  The PDA user can synchronize information between a desktop/laptop computer and the handheld device.  PDAs give the user the ability to have a calendar, address book, email, electronic reference information (like drug information, medical dictionaries, medical calculators, laboratory and diagnostic testing information) at their fingertips.

What is a Smartphone?

For many years -- the Palm devices dominated the market and as a result, there are lots of freeware available for the Palm OS (operating system).  I switched to a Pocket PC with Windows Mobile in 2004.  In 2007, I transitioned to a Smartphone with Windows Mobile software.  Smartphones are currently making an impact in the handheld computer market because cellular phone service providers make the devices very affordable.

iPhone 3G SIn 2009, I transitioned from a Windows Mobile Smartphone to the iPhone 3G S.  Wow!  What a miraculous improvement. I loved the particular Windows Mobile Smartphone, but it was missing a touch screen and wireless capabilities.  The iPhone 3G S has everything that I need.  I love the way that it is mobile phone, an iPod (with my favorite music) a camera that shoots still and video, voice activated commands, a GPS, and really useful functions, for example:

  •  iGoogle web page (or other favorite web site pages) as an icon
  • Google docs - with editing capability
  • Skype (Voice over Internet Protocol - VoIP) Free computer-2-computer phone calls with video capability
  • MileBug Lite (every nursing professor or other professional who travels to clinical sites or conferences will find this app helpful for travel reimbursement forms).
  • EverNote - keep notes in the form of text, snapshot, video, and voice
  • Documents 2 (Free and has advertising.  Google docs is a better alternative because it allows for document sharing)
  • Sudoku (gotta have some play time!)

I receive university email through an Exchange Server.  The iPhone will allow me to connect and receive email from all four of my email accounts (didn't have that capability with the Windows Mobile Smartphone).  I also can synch with Microsoft Outlook contacts and calendar on my PC in addition to the Exchange Server contacts and calendar.

New to the PDA World?  Check out these fantastic tutorials!

How Do PDAs Work?

Great resource to help us understand how Smartphones and PDAs work is located on the How Stuff Works website:

Smartphone - http://communication.howstuffworks.com/smartphone.htm

PDA - http://www.howstuffworks.com/pda.htm .

Deciding What Device to Purchase?

Recommended PDA Resources of Interest to Nurses

Medical & Nursing PDA Software Resources

Do you have any comments or recommendations for this page?  Email me at jeanne.sewell@gcsu.edu

Last Updated: 06/22/2009