Personal digital assistant applications for the healthcare provider

OBJECTIVE: To review some common medical applications available for personal digital assistants (PDAs), with brief discussion of the different PDA operating systems and memory requirements. Key search terms included handheld, PDA, personal digital assistants, and medical applications. DATA SOURCES: The literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1999-August 2002). Other information was obtained through secondary sources such as Web sites describing common PDAs. DATA SYNTHESIS: Medical applications available on PDAs are numerous and include general drug references, specialized drug references (e.g., pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiology, infectious disease), diagnostic guides, medical calculators, herbal medication references, nursing references, toxicology references, and patient tracking databases. Costs and memory requirements for these programs can vary; consequently, the healthcare provider must limit the medication applications that are placed on the handheld computer. CONCLUSIONS: This article attempts to systematically describe the common medical applications available for the handheld computer along with cost, memory and download requirements, and Web site information. This review found many excellent PDA drug information applications offering many features which will aid the healthcare provider. Very likely, after using these PDA applications, the healthcare provider will find them indispensable, as their multifunctional capabilities can save time, improve accuracy, and allow for general business procedures as well as being a quick reference tool. To avoid the benefits of this technology might be a step backward.     

Personal data assistants: using new technology to enhance nursing practice

This article explains how the new technology of personal data assistants can be used to enhance and augment comprehensive nursing care. Nurses are constantly challenged in their need for current, reliable, and accurate information at the point of patient care. Professional books and journals, by the very nature of their print format, have been prepared long before they can be actually used in practice. More current information is available from the World Wide Web, but it is often impractical for a nurse to access a computer during a patient encounter. Personal data assistants [PDAs] allow clinicians to access and document absolutely current information at the moment the patient is being seen. There are many general applications for PDAs that nurses might use such as keeping electronic calendars, address books, and reminder lists. In addition, however, there are even more actual healthcare applications, including patient tracking systems, access to pharmacologic databases, and a variety of clinical decision-making support tools. This article describes the wide variety of PDAs, along with the factors a nurse should consider in the decision of whether to purchase a PDA, and which type of device is best suited for which application.     

Use of personal digital assistants to support clinical reasoning in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students

The utility of personal digital assistant resources in healthcare practice and education presents new challenges for faculty due to changing device capabilities and software availability. Although there is a plethora of personal digital assistant resources available for use by healthcare providers, little is known about the effect on clinical reasoning in nursing students. The complexity of the healthcare arena precludes reliance on memory as a sole resource for problem solving because it can be unreliable. A personal digital assistant provides instant access to information on medical treatment options so reliance on memory alone is avoided. The aims of this study are to assess clinical reasoning when personal digital assistants are used as an information resource for nursing students. These findings have implications for the future nursing work force, including accurate differential diagnosis and diagnostic reasoning, reduction of medication errors, reduction of healthcare costs, and development of effective treatment protocols.     

The transforming effect of handheld computers on nursing practice

Handheld computers have the power to transform nursing care. The roots of this power are the shift to decentralization of communication, electronic health records, and nurses' greater need for information at the point of care. This article discusses the effects of handheld resources, calculators, databases, electronic health records, and communication devices on nursing practice. The US government has articulated the necessity of implementing the use of handheld computers in healthcare. Nurse administrators need to encourage and promote the diffusion of this technology, which can reduce costs and improve care.     

Update on personal digital assistant applications for the healthcare provider

OBJECTIVE: To review the common general drug information applications and specialty drug information applications available for personal digital assistants (PDAs). DATA SOURCES: The literature was accessed through MEDLINE (2003-June 2004). Other information was obtained through secondary sources, such as Web sites describing common PDA applications as well as actual product trials. The key search terms used were handheld, PDA, personal digital assistants, drug information, pharmacokinetics, medical information, and medical applications. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Articles or studies that provided a review of drug information references for the PDA since 2002 were included. Data pertaining to cost and application size were obtained from product or vendor Web sites. DATA SYNTHESIS: There are numerous medical applications available for the PDA including general drug information references, specialty drug information references (eg, pediatrics, cardiology, infectious diseases, oncology, psychology, herbals), diagnostic applications, medical calculators, nursing references, and patient tracking databases. Due to the huge array of programs, as well as factors such as cost and memory requirements, the healthcare provider must be selective in the medical applications that are placed on the PDA. CONCLUSIONS: There are many excellent PDA drug information applications that provide fast and accurate drug information and other features that assist the healthcare provider.     

Use of mobile handheld computers in clinical nursing education

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are increasingly in use in both clinical practice and nursing education as a method of providing timely access to resources at the point of care. This article describes the use of PDAs during the medical-surgical clinical component of a Bachelor of Nursing program in Australia. The aim of the study was to investigate whether PDAs would enhance students' pharmacological and clinical contextual knowledge and to identify issues associated with the use of PDAs in students' clinical experience. A mixed-method approach was used incorporating a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest of pharmacological knowledge and focus group discussions. Students using the PDAs demonstrated a moderate increase in their mean score, which was double the increase in the control group. Findings from the focus group discussions indicated that students found the PDAs easy to use and perceived their use as beneficial to their learning in the clinical area. This study provides support for the ongoing implementation of PDAs into nursing education.     

Experience of using a personal digital assistant in nursing practice - a single case study

johansson p., petersson g. & nilsson g. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management 19, 855–862 Experience of using a personal digital assistant in nursing practice – a single case study Aim The aim of this study was to describe one nurse’s experience of using a personal digital assistant (PDA) in nursing practice. Background Nurses handle large amounts of information and a PDA may contain valuable information that nurses need in their daily work. Methods In this qualitative single case study, data were collected through an open-ended interview with one registered nurse and were analysed by content analysis. Results The findings show that the PDA provides immediate access to information anywhere and at anytime, with advantages for both the nurse and for her patients. The PDA increased her confidence and efficiency in practice; it was easier to keep up-to-date and spend more time with the patient. Furthermore, the PDA was perceived as improving patient safety and patient participation. Conclusions The PDA requires improved content and more functions. Ease of use should also be improved. This study indicates that PDAs could be valuable and may inspire further research. Implications for nursing management The incorporation of a multifunctional PDA is an important issue for nursing management, as it could both change and provide new possibilities for nursing practice. The use of PDAs could also aid decision-making, improve patient safety and benefit patient outcomes.     

Handheld computers in nursing education: PDA pilot project

Interest in the use and application of handheld technology at undergraduate and graduate nursing programs across the country is growing rapidly. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are often referred to as a "peripheral brain" because they can save time, decrease errors, and simplify information retrieval at the point of care. In addition, research results support the notion that PDAs enhance nursing clinical education and are an effective student learning resource. However, most nursing programs lack the full range of technological resources to implement and provide ongoing support for handheld technology use by faculty and students. This article describes a 9-month pilot project for the initial use of PDAs by novice faculty and students at Simmons College.     

Infusing PDA technology into nursing education

Use of the personal digital assistant (PDA) has been infused into the accelerated baccalaureate program at Duke University to help prepare nursing students for professional practice. The authors provide an overview of the use of PDAs in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting. Technical aspects of PDA infusion and steps to ensure regulatory compliance are explored. Benefits of PDA use by both faculty and students in the program and challenges met with the infusion of this technology are also described.     

A study of personal digital assistants to enhance undergraduate clinical nursing education

This study reports on personal digital assistants (PDAs) as a means to prepare nurse professionals who value and seek current information. An interdisciplinary team of nursing and library faculty, information technology and bookstore staff, students, and educational consultants developed this project. A pre-post and comparative group design of second-degree students in the accelerated and traditional baccalaureate nursing degree (BSN) options was used to examine students' information-seeking behaviors, and the effectiveness and cost of innovation strategies associated with incorporation of PDAs into students' clinical practice. Results of this study support PDAs as an effective student learning resource, especially for reference materials. The student group with PDAs had increasing numbers of questions associated with clinical situations and a greater recognition of the need to use current resources. Students made substantial use of their PDAs and health team members, while decreasing reliance on textbooks and clinical faculty. Students' use of and satisfaction with this technology is linked to access speed and readability. Providing faculty with PDAs is recommended to enhance their comfort with and incorporation of PDAs into clinical teaching.     

Clinical and educational uses of handheld computers

Handheld computers, also known as personal digital assistants (PDAs), are becoming an increasingly valuable aid to physicians at the point of care. We review the use of handheld computers and their impact in clinical practice and medical education. Clinicians commonly use PDAs to access patient data and as a clinical reference tool. In medical education, handheld computers are most frequently used to track patient encounters and procedures done during medical school rotations and residency training. This report describes some interesting applications for present and future use of PDAs in inpatient care and medical education. Physicians and educational programs not using PDAs may wish to consider incorporating this technology.     

Benefits and costs of integrating technology into undergraduate nursing programs

Advances in technology over the last decade have resulted in increased opportunities for educators to become more innovative in classroom and clinical teaching. These innovations have allowed students and faculty to access essential clinical information at the point of care/need. By capitalizing on technologies such as personal digital assistants and course delivery shells, faculty and students have both portable and remote access to information that can guide practice and learning activities in clinical, classroom, and distance settings. For instance, a student can use a personal digital assistant to research a patient's new medication at the bedside, study course information, access references during class in response to a question, or download clinical materials from home. Although the benefits of having ready access to information seem obvious, there are costs and strategic planning activities associated with implementing these projects. Clearly, the objective of any academic nursing program is to develop skills among students so they can efficiently access information and use that information to guide their nursing practice. To do so, academic nursing administrators must have the forethought to envision how new technologies can support achieving this goal as well as the ability to put in place the infrastructure supports needed for success. This article presents a case study of how one institution developed the necessary infrastructure and garnished the appropriate resources to implement an ambitious technology initiative integrated throughout a large undergraduate nursing program. In addition, how the integration of technology, online and mobile, can enhance clinical learning will be discussed.     

Introducing personal digital assistants to enhance nursing education in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs

This article describes how a school of nursing implemented an innovative program to introduce personal digital assistants to undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Undergraduate students studying pharmacology and nurse practitioner graduate students in an adult health course were asked to purchase a personal digital assistant privately or through the university bookstore. Faculty selected an appropriate software package. After students were oriented to the hardware and software package, innovative teaching strategies were implemented to help guide students to use their mobile devices to access clinically relevant information. Student feedback about this experience was positive. The most important elements for successful adoption of personal digital assistants are to provide training for both faculty and students, and to develop learning opportunities using the technology. Use of mobile technologies is an important competency that will improve the quality of nursing practice and therefore should be included in nursing curricula.     

A survey of PDA use by palliative medicine practitioners

This paper describes the results of a Web survey on the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) by physicians across Canada involved with the delivery of palliative medicine in different settings. Seventy-two physicians responded to the survey from April to July 2005. The survey revealed 58.3% of respondents currently use PDAs on a daily basis, mostly to organize their practice and to look up medical references. Some use their PDAs to store patient information and to access a central electronic patient record (EPR). In terms of potential PDA use in palliative medicine, six thematic areas are suggested: medical references, EPR, staying connected, personal productivity, clinical research, and issues/concerns. For implications, healthcare organizations should consider mobile technology as part of their information systems strategy. The feasibility of a portable EPR for palliative medicine should be explored, and an information-based approach can help advance palliative medicine research in Canada.     

Portable computers and applications in respiratory care

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) have had a tremendous impact in the clinical setting, as they have in business and education environments. This report explores the health care application of PDAs, compares available PDA devices and software, and discusses PDA use for tracking patients, documenting clinical procedures, medical education, research, and accessing medical reference material. This report aims to increase awareness among health care providers about the potential roles of PDAs and to encourage further evaluation of PDAs in respiratory care.     

Value of wireless personal digital assistants for practice: perceptions of advanced practice nurses

Aims and objectives. The aims were to explore advanced practice nurses’ perceptions on wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies, to establish the type and range of tools that would be useful to support their practice and to identify any requirements and limitations that may impact the implementation of wireless Personal Digital Assistants in practice. Background. The wireless Personal Digital Assistant is becoming established as a hand‐held computing tool for healthcare professionals. The reflections of advanced practice nurses’ about the value of wireless Personal Digital Assistants and its potential to contribute to improved patient care has not been investigated. Design. A qualitative interpretivist design was used to explore advanced practice nurses’ perceptions on the value of wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies to support their practice. Methods. The data were collected using survey questionnaires and individual and focus group interviews with nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and information technology managers based in British Columbia, Canada. An open‐coding content analysis was performed using qualitative data analysis software. Results. Wireless Personal Digital Assistant’s use supports the principles of pervasivity and is a technology rapidly being adopted by advanced practice nurses. Some nurses indicated a reluctance to integrate wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies into their practices because of the cost and the short technological life cycle of these devices. Many of the barriers which precluded the use of wireless networks within facilities are being removed. Nurses demonstrated a complex understanding of wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies and gave good rationales for its integration in their practice. Conclusions. Nurses identified improved client care as the major benefit of this technology in practice and the type and range of tools they identified included clinical reference tools such as drug and diagnostic/laboratory reference applications and wireless communications. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses in this study support integrating wireless mobile computing technologies into their practice to improve client care.     

Use of personal digital assistants with acute care nurse practitioner students

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are attaining increased functionality by acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs). Supplemented by recently developed medical software, these devices assist nurse practitioners in having information available at the point of care. This article reviews the introductory use of PDAs throughout ACNP graduate training with an emphasis on clinical and classroom application.     

Back to the future: personal digital assistants in nursing education

This article provides an overview of the current state of the art for incorporating personal digital assistants (PDAs) into nursing education. The development of PDA technology and the lessons learned by educators integrating PDA technology into nursing curricula are described. The current cycle of PDA evolution is discussed and contrasted with a proposed model for maximizing the impact of PDAs on technological innovation in nursing education and practice.     

移动信息技术在提高药物现配现用执行率中的应用

目的 通过对移动信息技术使用前后药物现配现用执行率的对比,探讨提高现配现用执行率的护理方法.方法 将移动手持计算机设备(Personal Digital Assistant,PDA)用于药物使用过程中,明确项目的实际执行时间和执行人,如摆药、配药时间,开始输液时间、输液完成时间等,实现了药物治疗的闭环控制.结果 移动信息技术使用前后药物现配现用执行率、静脉输液现配现用执行率、静脉注射现配现用执行率对比,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 通过实施移动信息技术,真正做到了护理质量实时监控,有效地规范了护士行为,保障了患者的用药安全.