Mobile Resources:

Considering I am addicted to phone applications, I thought I would try to share a list of a few that I have that might be useful to healthcare professionals. I have an iPod Touch but my phone uses Android. Before I had a phone with Palm OS, which has since done away with supporting Epocrates, sadly. I also have a Palm Pilot with several references. Of course, if you are a smart phone user and a nurse, there are a few that everyone should be aware of, such as Epocrates.

I only use the free apps on my phone and iPod, but there are plenty of others you can purchase should you need any. Some of them require you sign up for a free membership, but you get some helpful e-mails from it. There are some that only give you limited free content, like Skyscape, but better than none.

My Phone:

Gmail-Google Docs: Have a Gmail account is great! One great feature, besides my blog, is Google Docs. You can create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets that you can edit. Also, you can upload documents like your Word docs, Power Points, and pdfs (like article) from your computer. Everything you need if in one place, so you can access it anywhere with internet access. You can even share your docs with others and even have the option to let them just view or edit them.

Picture Gallery: One application I use that everyone has is my picture gallery. I have a separate folder in my phone gallery for medical pictures. I save algorithms, various charts like for insulin types, lab values and anything I can find. Plus, you don't need internet access to use. You could also sync pictures with your computer using Google's Photo feature.

PDFs: Similar to using the gallery, I also download pdf files for my phone.You can search within the documents and access them even when the web is not available as well.

Bookmarks: I am also obsessed with bookmarks on my mobile web browser. You can bookmark sites for just about anything and when you need it, just search for some keywords. It's also great when websites have their own mobile version so it is even easier to access information. You can also save some books on Google that are free to read; even exerts can be useful.

Remember: You can not always trust the content in all of the applications available, just like you can't trust everything you find on the internet.