13 Favorite Nursing Apps

September 26, 2013 by Danielle Logacho

A survey shows that almost seven out of ten nurses use their smartphones at work.* Chances are, you’re one of them.

The right app can reduce the risk of errors, or make patient education easier. It can help increase your productivity or even lift your spirits on a tough day. We asked our faculty, staff and Facebook^® followers for their favorite nursing apps. Here’s some of what we heard:

Micromedex^® Drug Information – Comprehensive drug database featuring generic and trade names, dosing recommendations, off-label indications, interactions and more. Once you download it, an Internet connection is not required for use, allowing for access at anytime from anywhere. Free. iOS^® and Android^™.
Code Happy^®– A fun social networking app just for nurses. Add fellow nurses to your support circle and call on them for support whenever you need it. (“Help! This feels like the day that’ll NEVER end!”) Members of your circle will get an alert and can send you messages of support called “Happygrams.” Free. iOS and Android.
ABG Stat^® – Multipurpose medical calculator created by critical care nurses. This app helps interpret ABGs, Anion Gap, A-a Gradient and Oxygen Content, among other things, and provides detailed notes on possible causes and potential corrections. $1.99 iOS and Android.
Epocrates^®– Drug reference tool for brand, generic and OTC medicines. Includes drug interaction checker and pill ID. Free. iOS and Android.
Mango Health® – A user-friendly tool for managing medications and nutritional supplements. This app reminds you when it’s time to take your medication and alerts you about potentially dangerous interactions with other medications, supplements or food and drink. Users who take their medications on time can earn points toward rewards such as gift cards, charity donations and more. Free. iOS.
MPR® (Monthly Prescribing Reference^®) – This app is a compiled database of up-to-date drug monographs from all MPR print publications. This app features concise prescription and OTC drug information – plus over 30 medical calculators and a drug interaction checker. Free. iOS and Android.
iTriage^® – When you’re a nurse, your friends and family members often turn to you for medical advice. iTriage takes a little of the pressure off. Created by two ER doctors, this app lets you search symptoms, learn about potential causes and then help you find the most appropriate treatment, facility or doctor. Free. iOS and Android.
Skyscape^®– A popular decision-support tool loaded with comprehensive drug information, medical calculators, clinical information and more. Premium resources include access to Diseases and Disorders: A Nursing Therapeutics Manual and Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses. Free (with varying prices for premium resources). iOS and Android.
LactMed^®– A database of drugs and dietary supplements that may affect breastfeeding. Connected to the National Library of Medicine^® (NLM^®) Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET^®), this app also provides therapeutic alternatives, along with links to other breastfeeding resources. Free. iOS and Android.
Health Map: Outbreaks Near Me –Track all the current disease outbreaks in your area using this app. Search or browse outbreak reports, or set up alerts. If you spot an outbreak in your area, you can also be the first to report it using the app’s outbreak-reporting feature. Free. iOS and Android.
EBSCOhost^®– Back in school? EBSCOhost offers full-text access to articles in all subject areas, plus the EBSCO^™ eBook Collection. Download the app itself from the iTunes^® or Google Play^™online stores. Then, Chamberlain students should go to the Chamberlain Library, and log into the EBSCO databases using their student ID (D#) and birthdate. From the menu, choose Basic Search and click on the link at the bottom of the page to email yourself the authentication key. (Note: you’ll need to open the email with the authentication key on your mobile device.) Free. iOS and Android.
Medscape^® – Highly rated app with over two million registered users. Medical news, medical calculators and extensive drug info – including an interaction checker that lets you input up to 30 drugs, herbals or supplements at once. The clinical reference database and drug interaction checker can be accessed without an Internet connection. Free. iOS and Android.
Eponyms –Having trouble remembering all those pesky medical eponyms? This app delivers short descriptions of more than 1,700 common medical eponyms to your smartphone. $1.99 (student version is free). iOS and Android.

Nurses, what other apps do you use? Leave your comments below.

*In a survey conducted by Spyglass Consulting Group and summarized by Nurse.com at news.nurse.com/article/20121208/NATIONAL02/112100031.

The trademarks we use to identify particular goods/services are owned by their respective owners and do not constitute in any manner their endorsement of Chamberlain. More information on all of these apps can be found in the iTunes^® and Google Play^™online stores.