By In case you haven’t heard, Apple is releasing a new, interactive touchscreen device this spring, the iPad. Featuring a 9.7-inch screen, WiFi and instant access to over 14,000 apps, many predict that the iPad will be a boon to busy nurses.
According to one recent survey, nearly 20% of healthcare clinicians have expressed an interest in the iPad, with 9% planning to purchase one as soon as possible. (Apple plans to release the first iPads in March. The suggested retail price is $499.)Â
While some healthcare experts belive the larger screen makes the iPad a perfect tool for patient education, medical image viewing and interacting with the EMR, others think the device is too large to be truly practical in an acute care setting. Industry experts caution that the device’s usefulness will be limited by the available apps — although with apps such as Drug Infusion: IV Medication Rate Drip Calculator, Breastfeeding Management, Acid Plus: The ABG Calculator and Nursing CE Manager already available, odds are nurses will be able to find something to make their jobs a little bit easier.
