Is Mobile Health Missing Nurses?

One of the most under appreciated groups in healthcare is the nurse. I’m sure that every nurse agrees with me. I think that it’s gotten better in many ways for nurses, but from my experience nurses are often taken for granted. I’m probably to blame as much as the next person.

When I think about all the things I’ve written across the Healthcare Scene network of blogs, it’s pretty rare that I ever do a post that’s focused on the nurses. I can think of hundreds and possibly thousands of times I’ve written about the impact on physicians and patients. Nurses. Not so much. Occasionally they’ll get a tangential mention, but rarely are they the center of any healthcare IT story.

As I think about the mobile health space, I think the same is often true. There are thousands of mobile apps focused on doctors. There are thousands of mobile apps focused on patients. How many are focused on nurses? I can’t remember writing about very many nurse focused mobile health apps.

I think I was reminded of this when I saw in my Twitter stream today. As an RN, he built a product called YourNurseIsOn.com which it seems has now been renamed to IntelliBlast Communication System. It was great to see a nurse providing an IT solution for nurses. I haven’t talked to Matthew for a long time, but I remember him talking about how hard it was for him to sale into hospitals. Despite the fact that it’s hard to sale anything to hospitals, I wonder if the fact that he was selling a nurse focused product made it even harder. Maybe that’s why they changed the name? I don’t know, but what I do know is that it’s been pretty rare that I’ve seen an organization focused on products for nurses.

I think most people realize the vital role that nurses play in healthcare. However, there seems to be a mismatch in the role nurses play in healthcare and the mobile and other healthcare IT tools that are built for them. I wonder what mobile health tools would be created for nurses if they were the focus and not just an afterthought.

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October 4, 2013 I Written By

John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 15 blogs containing almost 6000 articles with John having written over 3000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 14 million times. John also manages Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today, the leading career Health IT job board and blog. John launched two new companies: InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com, and is an advisor to docBeat. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: and and .

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  mHealth  Mobile Health Care
Tags:IntelliBlast  Matthew Browning  Nurse Mobile Apps    RN

11 Great iPhone Apps for Nurses — According to Apple

It seems like every day, I read another article about nurses using tablets and smartphones in the workplace. I was just thinking the other day that I should do a round-up of great apps for nurses, but it looks like Apple beat me to it. This list was compiled by Apple last year, and they are their top 11 iPhone apps for nurses. While I still plan to make a list of apps for both the iPhone and Android devices that nurses can use, I thought I’d share these apps as well.

Most of these apps are free (though they may involve a paid subscription), though some cost less than $10. After reading about them, I can definitely see how they could be helpful. So, nursing friends, if you have an iPhone or an iPad that you use at work — these might be something you want to look into. Here’s a brief description, and cost, of each app that made Apple’s top apps for nurses list:

1.  Voalte One: Before you get too attached to this one, your hospital must be equipped with the Voalté Server. And if it is, then great! Because this app allows for phone calls through a hospital’s VoIP system, secure text messaging using a user directory, and alarm management. Medical professionals are able to receive alarms, and respond quickly, which helps with overall workflow.

Cost: Free 

2. Nursing Central: This is a comprehensive database designed to help nurses find answers to just about any question they might have.There is detail information on diseases, tests, drugs, and more, and a medical dictionary with more than 60,000 entries.

Cost: Free

3. NurseTabs: Fundamentals: There are a couple of NurseTabs apps, which are specifically designed for new nurses. This one covers the basic skills and procedures nurses need to know. After selecting a specific procedure, the nurse will be given step-by-step information, including what kind of equipment should be used.

Cost: 9.99

4. PatientTouch: This app was created to help improve workflow, and help nurses spend more time with their patients.  It assists in specimen collection, infant care, communications, and more. PatientTouch is completely HIPAA compliant, and hopefully will help increase quality of care, while decrease costs. 

Cost: Free

5. Medigram: Medigram is a simple way to securely send messages containing medical information. This makes it possible to collaborate with other medical professionals in a secure and quick manner.

Cost: Free

6. NurseTabs: Medsurge: Another app by NurseTabs that was created specifically for new nurses, or nursing students. It contains over 300 diseases and disorders, organized in an easily searchable way. After selecting a certain ailment, the user can access tons of information about it, including a nursing process approach on how to handle the situation. It’s also a great place to review for the NCLEX exam.

Cost: 9.99

7. Lab Values Reference: If you are working with lab results a lot, this could be very helpful. I actually might download this myself (access to my lab results immediately makes me constantly look things up until I hear from my doctor.) It has coverage of the 375 most commonly performed lab results, which includes the normal ranges or findings, results, explanations of abnormalities, and more.

Cost: .99

8. NCSBN Learning Extension Medication Flashcards: Stressing out about the NCLEX? No need to worry anymore. This app is a great resource for memorizing drug information, as you can sort cards into different categories, learn interesting facts, and more.

Cost: Free

9. The Merck Manuals for Mobile + Web: Merck Manuals are one of the most widely used and accepted medical reference guides. And now, you can have it at your fingertips. The app is free, but you have to pay for the subscription. There are three different manuals that can be downloaded — the 19th edition for mobile and web, patient symptoms guide, and Davis’ drug guide.

Cost: Free

10. Shots by STFM: Does anyone like getting shots? I sure don’t think so. And I imagine nurses don’t get any joy out of administering them. This app helps making the process a little easier when trying to determine the correct dosages, especially for unique situations. It contains the CDC recommended course for vaccines, information on ingredients, side effects, and more.

Cost: Free

11. Lexicomp: Lexicomp is a great resource with trusted information about drug and clinical information. There are quite a few databases available with information, pictures, videos, and more. These can be accessed with or without a data/WiFi connection.

Cost: Free to download, but you will need a subscription to Lexicomp as well

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May 13, 2013 I Written By

Katie Clark is originally from Colorado and currently lives in Utah with her husband and son. She writes primarily for Smart Phone Health Care, but contributes to several Health Care Scene blogs, including EMR Thoughts, EMR and EHR, and EMR and HIPAA. She enjoys learning about Health IT and mHealth, and finding ways to improve her own health along the way.

Filed Under: Apple  Health Care  iPad  iPhone  Medical Devices  mHealth  Mobile Health Care  Social Networking Health
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Guest Post: Why Traveling Nurses Should Use Tablets (iPad) Instead of Laptops

The following is a guest post by Patricia Walling:

The market for tablet devices is fairly new. While they were originally created as a way for people to read digital books and newspapers, tablets now work as full functioning computers. In fact, nearly every function that can be performed on a laptop can be performed on a tablet. You can watch movies, write documents, play games and even surf the Internet. Thus if you are a nurse who travels a lot, carrying a tablet with you can be far more advantageous than a laptop. Not only are these devices highly mobile, but they also have great battery life, offer a plethora of unique features and serve as excellent medical transcription tools.

As a rule, tablets are much friendlier to travelers than other, bulkier equipment. If you have ever taken a laptop to the airport, you know how much of a pain it is to get through security. You have to take your laptop out of the case, place it in a bin, send it through the machine and repack it all over again at the end; this takes time and is always quite a hassle. However, when you travel with a tablet, you don’t even have to remove the device from your bag. Because the ATA assigns a different definition to tablets than laptops, you can just send the bag containing it through the scanner with little ado. Tablets don’t require you to carry a bulky case either, which makes one less thing for you to carry around. In fact, traveling with a tablet isn’t much more difficult than traveling with your mobile phone. For these and many more reasons, tablets are looking like smarter purchase.

You also won’t have to worry about bothering fellow travelers when using a tablet. Type on a laptop can generate a lot of keyboard noise, and chances are it will annoy the person sitting next to you. Tablets allow you to write almost silently using your finger, stylus or electronic pen, not only making the process of writing whisper quiet, but also letting you take notes in a more natural and off-hand way. In this way, tablets allow you to work even on overnight flights without giving others reason to be perturbed by your zeal.

Another advantage to traveling with a tablet is the ability to use a variety of apps. If you are out of the country there are apps that can help you translate foreign languages as well as find a good place to eat and get quick weather snapshots. While you can use a laptop for this too, a tablet makes these tasks much more streamlined. And unlike a laptop’s relatively clumsy mouse-keyboard interface, a touch of your finger can instantly call up a wealth of information. There is no shortagve of travel apps that you can download no matter what operating system your tablet uses, providing you with a simplified and more pleasurable travel experience.

Finally, patient security is often an issue for traveling nurses. No matter the cause, there are serious legal repercussions to consider should a nurse release medical records. There are strict laws regarding patient information. If you pull up a patient’s chart on a laptop, you run the risk of someone else seeing that information. This can get you in to major trouble. A tablet is much more user friendly. The smaller screen, along with flexibility in where you hold the device, eliminates the threat that someone else will see patient information.

While laptops can perform many of the same functions that a tablet can, they don’t make traveling easy. Traveling nurses are always on the move, and a tablet will provide you with flexibility and ease that a laptop cannot match. Not only will having a tablet save you time and trouble at the terminal, but it will also be less obtrusive on the plane, and make it easier for you to provide patients with confidentiality. Clearly, traveling with a tablet is the smart thing to do.

Patricia Walling is a graduate student working toward her Masters in Conservation Biology. She has both professional and volunteer experience in a hospital environment and currently resides in Washington state.

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March 4, 2011 I Written By

John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 15 blogs containing almost 6000 articles with John having written over 3000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 14 million times. John also manages Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today, the leading career Health IT job board and blog. John launched two new companies: InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com, and is an advisor to docBeat. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: and and .

Filed Under: Health Care  Healthcare IT  iPad
Tags:    Tablets