As technology advances before our very eyes, it comes as absolutely no surprise that apps are becoming indispensable for people. There are apps that help you manage your finances, apps for finding a soulmate, and apps for ordering groceries for delivery. Unsurprisingly, the world of healthcare is joining in with the app fun; hundreds of nursing and healthcare apps are making their way to app stores on both Android and iPhone. This is a wonderful development because apps can streamline and simplify many of our nursing woes, from scheduling appointments to giving information.

Here are the best nursing apps we’ve found:

Nursing Central

This app, created especially for nurses, is like nursing school in a neat, tidy, easy to navigate package. It includes a dictionary of medical terms, so you never have to be embarrassed about forgetting something you learned years ago, and a literary search, so you can find the journal article you heard about. It also has an encyclopedia-type array of knowledge about medicines, tests, and diseases. It’s like the most inclusive nursing textbook in one app!

Urgent Care

This app is more for patients, but it could make your life as a nurse much easier. The app allows consumers to find medical information in a dictionary as well as use the symptom checker. However, we all know the dangers of internet-based self-diagnosis, so to prevent people from running immediately for the Emergency Room, the app includes simple access to nurses and doctors 24/7.

Epocrates RX

This app is an excellent reference material for drugs, diseases, and lab tests. Its comprehensive coverage of medical terms and even the latest medical technology breakthroughs allow nurses to have the most up to date information needed to provide excellent treatment.

Nurses Pocket Guide

Similar to Urgent Care, this app allows users to input symptoms and receive a basic diagnosis of a possible illness. However, because this app is marketed to nurses directly, it also includes suggestions for plans of care. While it shouldn’t be relied on 100%, the app can be helpful in making preliminary diagnoses and knowing what to do in the next steps.

PALS Advisor

PALS, or pediatric advanced life support, can be a difficult concept to deal with. However, with the advisor app, nurses will receive information for medical treatment specifically for kids. It follows the guidelines of the American Heart Association, so you can be assured of its legitimacy. It gives important information related to basic life support, drug dosages, and neonatal resuscitation among other things.

RN Notes

This is an excellent app for nursing students especially. There is a section that contains the most-covered topics of the NCLEX exam, the necessary certification test for nurses. As a test prep app for nurses, this app is invaluable. It also includes reference materials and research-based nursing information to make sure that users stay up to date.

Evernote

While not an app geared specifically to nurses, the Evernote app is helpful, nonetheless. It is free for anyone and boasts a user-friendly design. The goal of the app is to serve as a sort of digital notebook. It allows you to mark down your thoughts and ideas and keep them organized. It has all the functions you could possibly need to make it your own personal journal/diary/agenda/calendar. You can type down notes, add photos, create lists, and even record voice messages.

Final Thoughts

There are so many great apps out there that can be helpful to nurses and others in healthcare. While we found these to be the best ones out there, take the time to browse through your options; you’ll be certain to find ones that will make your job easier.