PDAs: A Nurse's New Best Friend
Myron Bland, RN, BSN

The personal digital assistant (PDA) has revolutionized many professions, and it appears that nursing could join the list. The PDA is a hand-held portable computer that has several basic functions, such as note taking, contact management, and time- and task-management. The PDA comes in either the Palm Operating System (e.g., Palm OS) or the Pocket PC operating system (e.g., Windows CE). Because most PDAs use the Palm OS, the majority of available medical software supports the Palm OS platform.¹

The PDA was introduced in the 1980s; its reception was lukewarm, probably due to its size and limited capabilities. In the mid-1990s, PDAs were reintroduced with wider acceptance.

I first noticed physicians using PDAs during rounds. As a computer savvy nurse, I immediately saw their value. And as a “Trekkie,” I immediately thought of the tricorder that Dr. McCoy used on Star Trek.

Still, I didn’t get my first PDA until 2002, partly because I wanted to make sure that I got the best. I also wanted to make sure that most of the technical bugs were worked out, a serious consideration in the computer world, where obsolescence occurs early.

Today, I don’t know how I got along without it. As a new critical care nurse, the PDA has been a confidence builder and a valuable asset. Because I’m able to record data I can use at the bedside, I’m able to save time and expedite patient care. I’ve stored banks of information, such as pulmonary artery computations, drug information, and lab data. I’ve also added valuable information from colleagues.

In addition, I use my PDA to record my work schedule and help with time management. There are areas for creativity, such as the “notes” section, where I keep all my important contacts. I use the built-in calculator to calculate IV infusion rates or specific medication doses. The “task” section allows me to make my own “to do” list and check it off I complete tasks. The computer link capability allows me to download to or upload from a PC. My PDA even has a floppy disc to increase its memory and storage capabilities.

The PDA has other advantages. It can make an average nurse an instant expert on different procedures and patient care. Information and programs stored on the PDA can be synchronized with a computer via a special cradle connected to a desktop, which simultaneously saves data to a backup file.¹ This allows for visualization of the information from the PDA on the computer’s desktop and easy access for editing; it also serves as a backup to restore lost data from the PDA.¹

However, the PDA does have some disadvantages. A noticeable drawback is that the nursing profession does not yet recognize it as a much-needed tool. And it isn’t exactly durable — the PDA can be easily damaged or broken. It can also be lost or stolen, with a subsequent loss of valuable data unless it has been backed up on disc.

I see the PDA as an essential tool of the nurse in the future. As nurses become more comfortable with computers, any resistance to this technology will begin to wane. And more employers will see its value. Perhaps programs will be able to upload shift reports from one shift to another. Employers may allow employees to download policies and procedures through approved administrative sites, and patient care using the nursing process will be right at the nurse’s fingertips. Medication errors could be greatly reduced through the use of a PDA’s programmed guidelines for medication usage. Quicker access to information and more efficient use of the nurse’s time are other pluses, especially during a critical nursing shortage. The possibilities are endless.

Myron Bland, RN, BSN, is a staff nurse on a medical ICU, Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD.

Reference

1. Scordo K, Yeager S, Young L. Use of personal digital assistants with acute care nurse practitioner students. AACN Clin Issues. 2003; 14(3):350-362.