Smartphones are quickly becoming invaluable resources for nursing students around the globe. These devices are useful tools for checking answers on calculations; studying different parts of the body, conditions, or treatment; and maintaining a healthy mind and body. The large screens and high speeds of today’s latest smartphones, such as the [easyazon_link identifier=”B01LZ4YHZJ” locale=”US” tag=”medicalisland-20″]iPhone 7 Plus[/easyazon_link], means that they offer as much information as traditional computers. Make sure you have the following five apps to help you succeed in nursing school and in your future career.
Medscape
Image via Flickr by timefornurses
Recently designed for iOS 7, the Medscape app is regularly regarded as one of the best apps on the market for medical students. The app offers a complete encyclopedia of drugs, conditions, and procedures, along with medical news that can be filtered by speciality. This functionality allows students to research different conditions and possible treatment options and study specific parts of the body.
Whether they're researching information on a specific patient condition or reviewing information during some downtime, Medscape is a key guide. Not only will this app be an important resource for students to have in nursing school, but it will also be a key app to have on hand throughout their careers.
NurseGrid
NurseGrid positions itself as the first calendar built exclusively for nurses. So far, more than 200,000 professionals have taken advantage of this tool, one of the highest-rated medical tools in the Apple App Store.
NurseGrid adds shifts within seconds, allowing nurses to see when they’re on call — even across multiple work sites. As a result, nurses can see when they’re needed and where, which avoids overlaps. This app also syncs with third-party and personal calendars, so your whole month is neatly organized in one space.
Nursing Essentials
This app will be your study guide during your first few years of nursing school. Nursing Essentials breaks down different parts of the body and presents flashcards with important information about each area. Users can bookmark specific sections that they need to return to, make notes on various pages, and record patient information to document later for charting purposes.
Most recently, this app has included vital assessment information and details on drugs or infusions. Specifically, Nursing Essentials offers guides for inserting chest tubes and catheters and has tips for staying healthy in a hospital environment. Bilingual nurses will also appreciate the Spanish translations when communicating with their patients.
MedCalX
A large part of nursing school is memorizing and familiarizing yourself with formulas to prescribe the right amount of medication for patients and evaluating their risk factors, health, and condition. However, you may not always have time to find a calculator or pencil and paper to remember the formulas and track their progress.
The MedCalX app makes calculations easier. Users simply type in a few data points of patient information and select what they’re trying to learn to solve the formula.
Human Anatomy Atlas
Download the Human Anatomy Atlas to take advantage of more than 5,000 3D structures in the male and female body. Students will love the ability to zoom in and rotate the models so that they can see what these structures are like, almost as if they’re holding the parts in their hands. Notes will pop up when users tap on any structure, which can promote learning about specific muscles and nerves as needed.
Once they’re ready to test what they know, students can study using 1,000 quiz questions on various parts of human anatomy. The best part about this app is the shareability. Users can upload screenshots of their notes to peers and send models to professors to ask questions. Students will find this app to be one of the most interactive study guides in the app store.
The best apps are the ones that you will use. If you download these apps and never touch them, then they’re only taking up space in your smartphone's storage. Make sure you take advantage of all the resources offered to nursing students and young professionals so that you can succeed and graduate at the top of your class.
