Do nurses and nursing students really need iPhone or iPod touch?
iPhone or iPod touch can enhance your productivity and maximize your learning and working experiences if you learn to use it.
However, unless a specific device is required by your facility or nursing school, all nurses and student nurses can succeed without one.
This web page is intermittently updated and was originally written in July 2009 and last updated in September 2010.
Also read:
Recommended Nursing Apps — iPhone iPod
Reviews and recommendations based on real-world testing of the best iPod touch nursing apps and iPhone nursing apps.
What does Go Student Nurse recommend?
- iPhone 4 16GB or iPod touch 8GB or 32GB (4th generation)
- Only get more memory if you plan on having a lot of music, video, or images.
- If you buy a used iPhone or iPod touch, you may have battery or hardware problems without a warranty.
Why does Go Student Nurse recommend iPhone or iPod touch for nurses and nursing students instead of other smartphones or PDAs?
Momentum
With the launch of the 2007 iPhone, 2008 iPhone 3G, 2009 iPhone 3GS, and 2010 iPhone 4, Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4 have gained the momentum to become the dominant hand-held computing and communication devices in the consumer and medical markets.
2009 Sales
- Apple Reports 2009 Fiscal Third Quarter Results
- 5.2 million iPhone devices sold for the quarter
- 626% iPhone growth in 12 months
- 130% iPod touch growth in 12 months
2009 Apps
- 1.5 billion apps downloaded in the first year
- 65,000+ apps available in 77 countries
- 40 million iPhone & iPod touch devices sold
- 100,000+ developers in iPhone Developer Program
2009 Competitors
- 300,000 Palm Pre devices sold
- 50,000 Palm Pre sold in first 2 days of June 6, 2009 launch
- 1 million iPhone 3GS sold in first 3 days of June 19, 2009 launch
2009 University Student Requirement — iPod touch or iPhone
- University of Virginia Nursing, Medicine
- Georgetown University Medicine
- University of Florida Pharmacy
- University of Missouri Journalism
2009 Corporate Information Technology
Apple states that almost 20 percent of Fortune 100 companies have bought 10,000 or more iPhones while “multiple corporations and government organizations” have bought 25,000 phones.
Medical & Nursing iPhone and iPod touch Profile
Medical & Nursing iPhone and iPod touch Profile
Medical & Nursing iPhone and iPod touch Profile
Medical & Nursing iPhone and iPod touch Profile
AirStrip Technologies supports iPhone to securely deliver critical patient information, including virtual real-time waveform data.
Although nursing students and nurses might not use AirStrip applications, AirStrip is highlighted to show the momentum of iPhone in all healthcare professions.
Speaking with The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW), AirStrip’s President and Chief Medical Officer, William Cameron Powell, MD, states that iPhone is “a paradigm shift” and “game changing.”
Future Medical Accessories Development
With the iPhone Accessory API (application programming interface), developers can engineer integrated medical software and hardware solutions:
- blood glucose monitoring
- blood pressure monitoring
- EKG monitoring
- spirometric monitoring
- bar code readers for medication and patient ID numbers
The acquired data can be used with iPhone’s data analysis and wireless data communication capabilities.
What are the differences between iPhone and iPod touch?
Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch web pages and videos detail usage, features, and specifications. You can also visit your local Apple Retail Store.
Both devices are compatible with Windows and Apple Mac computers and will run nursing software sold exclusively through the App Store using iTunes.
How do I buy iPhone 4 and transfer my phone number?
For a qualified AT&T customer in the U.S., iPhone 4 starts at $199 with a 2-year contract. All iPhone cellular plans include mobile 3G Internet access.
Presently, AT&T is the exclusive iPhone wireless provider. AT&T’s CEO stated this would not last forever.
Visit AT&T Wireless to learn about their mobile phone and data plans for iPhone.
Verify voice and data coverage for your local area using the AT&T Coverage Viewer.
If you are with a non-ATT carrier and would like to switch, verify with your carrier for any applicable early contract termination fees.
Transferring (or porting) your current number is easy if you are eligible. AT&T’s Local Number Portability FAQ clearly explains the process.
You can buy iPhone from Apple, AT&T, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Walmart.
iPhone is also available internationally with various wireless carriers.
Why iPhone instead of iPod touch for nurses, nursing students, and nursing school?
iPhone: Less Stuff in Your Purse or Pocket
Everything is integrated and mobile: phone, iPod, email, Internet, camera, video, and apps.
iPhone: Mobile 3G Internet for Everything
You can instantly find a picture of the appendix to teach your 10-year-old patient about appendicitis.
Search & Teach
Or, you can instantly find the pathophysiology about your patient’s Kartagener Syndrome.
But, your life as a nurse or nursing student is not just about nursing. Are you in an unfamiliar neighborhood and don’t know where to eat? Use the Urban Spoon, Yelp, or Maps app to find a pizzeria, get contact info, and directions.
Suppose you’re at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California:
- Type pizza in iPhone’s Maps app.
- The red pins indicate nearby pizzerias.
- You decide on Pizza My Heart and get address info and directions.
- Tap on the orange and white “little guy or gal” symbol to the left of Pizza My Heart, and you’ll see a Google Street View.
Click the images below for a larger view.
How do I type on iPhone or iPod touch?
What type of iPhone or iPod touch nursing apps or applications are available?
Based on real-world testing and interviews from practicing nurses and nursing students, Go Student Nurse has published numerous reviews and recommendations for iPod touch and iPhone nursing applications at the following web page:
Recommended Nursing Apps — iPhone iPod
Apps can be purchased individually or sold in bundled suites, and prices range from free to over $200. Apps include drug guides and numerous medical references (terminology, labs, pathophysiology, nursing skills, etc.).
For a practicing nurse or a student nurse, personal productivity apps are also important. Many apps are included with iPhone or iPod touch such as Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Maps.
Other productivity apps include ebook and document readers (Office, iWork, PDF, Kindle, etc.), English and foreign language dictionaries, and unit conversion calculators.
For mindbody health, there are thousands of apps to increase the enjoyment of your personal life outside of work and school: games, restaurants, cinemas, hotels, music, radio, ebooks, videos, travel, exercise, personal health, photography, etc.
Price does not dictate quality. Thousands of apps are free, and thousands more are $1–5.
Epocrates Rx
A great free app is Epocrates Rx, and it should be on every nurse’s iPhone or iPod touch. It includes an excellent drug guide, InteractionCheck, and Pill ID images. It also includes the MedMath calculator and reference which would be an amazing app on its own.
Click the images below for a larger view.
What is push email?
iPhone and iPod touch instantly notifies you when you have email.
A big productivity booster.
From Apple’s Supported Push Mail Accounts on iPhone and iPod touch:
Email accounts that use the push method for message retrieval enable you to have email messages delivered directly to you as soon as the message is received by your email provider instead of checking periodically or manually for new messages. On iPhone or iPod touch, push email is supported for the following email account types:
- MobileMe
- Microsoft Exchange
- Yahoo!
Email accounts such as POP, IMAP, or AOL accounts do not support push message retrieval on iPhone or iPod touch but can instead be setup to fetch mail at specified intervals or manually when the Mail application is opened.
Note: A Wi-Fi connection is required to send and receive email on iPod touch.
What about Gmail?
Should I purchase MobileMe?
The MobileMe website explains the features well.
Go Student Nurse has a love/hate relationship with MobileMe and does recommend the $99/year service. However, be ready for possible intermittent problems.
Intermittent problems we’ve experienced:
- Duplicate contact and calendar data.
- Push email notification doesn’t always work.
- iDisk can be slow using Mac’s Finder. It’s fast using the MobileMe iDisk web interface.
- Sync problems with some Wi-Fi networks.
Reasons many of us keep the subscription:
- Effortless sync for Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices.
- Steady, incremental improvements in reliability and features.
- Most of the time, the features work well, but you may have to waste time with MobileMe Chat support, support documents, and support forums for fixes and workarounds.
- Back to My Mac.
- Neat features: Find My iPhone, Remote Wipe, and iDisk for iPhone app.
- Excellent MobileMe Chat support.
How do I clean and protect iPhone or iPod touch?
Clean
Go Student Nurse recommends iKlear The Complete Cleaning Kit for Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad for nurses, nursing students, and nursing school.
Read the directions, and keep fluids away from all openings to avoid damage.
The glass on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPad has an oleophobic coating which makes cleaning easy with any soft cloth.
Protect
There are many cases available to suit your preferences.
The glass on iPhone 3GS and iPad is extremely durable and scratch resistant, but not impact or drop resistant.
The iPhone 4 glass:
… the same type of glass used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains.
The video below shows the durability and scratch resistance of the glass on iPhone 3GS and iPad (the first 30 seconds is a parody of Apple videos):
The Apple Online Store and Apple Retail Stores no longer sell protective screen films for Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
The majority of us at Go Student Nurse no longer use protective screen films.
However, if your preference is to use a protective screen film, Go Student Nurse recommends Power Support Crystal Film (not the Anti-Glare Film). Reading the instructions, using Scotch Magic Tape, and having patience guarantees a dust- and bubble-free installation.
How long does the battery last?
It depends how you use it. Apple has dedicated web pages for iPhone and iPod batteries.
For a typical nurse or nursing student, the battery will easily last an entire 12 hour shift for workflows involving accessing the Internet, searching nursing references, and personal communications (email, voice, or text).
Because iPhone and iPod touch are so capable and powerful, owners tend to use their devices heavily which can quickly deplete the battery. Activities that deplete the battery the fastest are games, continuous Internet streaming such as Internet radio, and video recording and playback.
There are numerous third-party car chargers and external batteries to meet your mobile power requirements.
If you need a car charger, Go Student Nurse recommends the Belkin Micro Auto Charger with Charge Sync Cable which is sold at Best Buy and the Apple Online Store.
This item is especially useful for a community nurse, road-going nursing educator, or power user.
What is the resale value?
The full price of iPhone is often subsidized by wireless carriers with multi-year contracts.
Due to high demand, iPhone has very high resale value.
Go Student Nurse recommends NextWorth when selling iPhone or iPod touch. We recommend purchasing package insurance and tracking also.
What about social and professional etiquette?
It’s like any other mobile phone or iPod. Use common sense and common courtesy.
Turn off the ringer and keyboard clicks (Settings > Sounds).
Some educators and hospital staff may view this type of technology with hostility.
Expect this. Plan, and act as the situation dictates.
Be flexible. Be diplomatic.
What are some ethical or social justice issues with this type of technology?
Is this technology really necessary for effective and improved educational and healthcare outcomes?
If a school or health facility requires a specific device, who should pay for it?
Do these devices give individuals who have the money and knowledge to use them an unfair advantage at school and at work?
Does society have an obligation to provide equal access to education and healthcare to its citizens?
Does this type of technology contribute to escalating educational and healthcare costs?
Personal and political values and beliefs on these issues don’t just affect an individual and family’s pocketbook, but they also shape the evolution of our human societies.
Why is Go Student Nurse so excited about iPhone, iPod, iPad, and iOS 4?
For me personally, it’s a revolution in personal and professional digital communication, information, and entertainment that has unleashed and expanded my own productivity and creativity which have enabled and fueled the creation of Go Student Nurse to be a worldwide advocate for nursing students and for the adoption of personal technology in nursing.
Be sure to also read:
Recommended Nursing Apps — iPhone iPod
Reviews and recommendations based on real-world testing of the best iPhone nursing apps and iPod touch nursing apps.
This web page is intermittently updated:
- September 27, 2009 — Push Gmail via Google Sync
- June 7, 2010 — iPhone 4 and iOS 4
- September 1, 2010 — Updated iPod touch
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