Nursing school is hard. It’s like a very intense game of catch up: you have dozens of things to learn, and you’re always struggling to keep up with the pace.
With so much to do and so little time, it can seem impossible to get everything done. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are lots of ways to maximize your efficiency and make the most of your time while at nursing school.
One way is to use apps designed specifically for nursing students, which can help you save time, get organized, and organize your life around your education. In this article, we’ll go over some of the best apps for nursing school.
Best Apps For Nursing School
The best nursing apps help nurses juggle the demands in today’s busy healthcare environment. As nurses face more pressure to be up-to-date on trends and advancements in the field, they’re also working to make sure that their personal lives are in order.
Thankfully, many apps today have been designed for nurses and other medical professionals to help them juggle hectic workloads. Usable across most electronic devices (e.g. smartphones and tablets), these apps can help nurses manage the many facets of academic, professional, and personal life.
This blog highlights some of the best nursing apps available on iOS and Android systems and illustrates how these online resources can be helpful when navigating the nursing profession.
Earn Your MSN-FNP Part-Time For Less than $30k
Smiling African American nurse in green scrubs typing on a computer in her home office
General Study Aid
It can be a challenge to keep up with your studies while also logging in long hours as a nurse. School work and test prep require hours of dedication. Carving out focus time in an already busy schedule, though, can be a struggle. That’s where some of the best nursing apps can help.
Some of the best nursing apps to keep your notes organized include:
EverNote or OneNote
These two leading note-taking platforms are among the best nursing apps because they allow you to consolidate all of your notes in your smartphone or another device. You can highlight terms or passages that are relevant so you can return later for quick review. You can also scan handouts and other in-class materials to compile all of your materials into one space.
StudyBlue or Cram
These two make our list of best nursing apps because they are great for test preparation. With these apps, you can make flashcards, use practice tests to prepare for course exams, or brush up on your knowledge on a given topic.
Close-up of a doctor’s hands using a healthcare app on a tablet device
Field Specific Apps
Among best nursing apps are those created specifically to expand knowledge in the field. Whether you use them to learn new material or freshen up on medical concepts, these field specific apps will help you stay sharp as a nurse.
Some these best nursing apps include:
Nursing Essentials
This app is incredibly handy for student nurses or for those who simply want to review concepts. In addition to the ability to take notes and mark sections for quick reference, this app also includes a calculator for your convenience.
Med Mnemonics
If you’ve struggled to master the complex terminology used in the medical field, rest assured that you are not alone. This is why Med Mnemonics is one of the best nursing apps—it simplifies the memorization process with an array of handy rhymes and acronyms that are sure to stick out in your mind.
Human Anatomy Atlas 2021
This handy guide is among best nursing apps for those who want to review parts of the human body. With visual graphics and extensive content, this app allows users to quickly search for and discover all of the components of anatomy.
FNP Pocket Prep
Pocket Prep’s Family Nurse Practitioner Exam Prep is one of the best nursing apps that is filled with helpful flashcards to streamline study as well as practice exam questions tailored to AANP standards. This app was specifically designed for those preparing for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Exam, required for those seeking to pursue licensed FNP practice. Adding to this app’s appeal is that it also features a countdown to test day to fuel your focus on preparation.
Asian American female nurse using a tablet device on the job
On-The-Job References
Even the most seasoned nurse can use a hand sometimes, which is why some of the best nursing apps to keep handy are those that offer quick reference guides for conditions, testing, and medications.
These best nursing apps to keep on the job include:
Nursing Central
This app is a collection of information that covers conditions and drug indications based on your input of symptoms. The results from your query can make for a great springboard as you continue to sort through a patient’s symptoms.
Diseases Dictionary
One of the most widely used reference guides on mobile, Diseases Dictionary overflows with descriptions of and symptoms related to various diseases and medical disorders. Among best nursing apps, this serves as a one-stop-shop for quick reference. It’s also available for free.
Epocrates
Epocrates ranks on this best nursing apps list for its depth of content. Filled with a wealth of information to help nursing students and professionals manage complex diagnoses and treatment plans. While the app itself is free, gaining full access to its disease and diagnostic features requires a substantial one-time sum of more that one hundred dollars.
Close-up of a nurse in blue scrubs using a tablet device
Unique App Options
Among best nursing apps are several options that cater to specific niches within the nursing field. From identifying unusual prescription medications to gaining quick insights into younger patients, here are a few more to consider:
Pill Identifier
Knowing what kind of medication a patient is taking is vital to understand their condition and rule out possible interactions. Some patients may just have a pillbox on hand and not know the name of prescriptions. It’s here where Pill Identifier serves as one of the best nursing apps. With more than 12,000 medications, you can search pills using a variety of features including by color, shape, and imprint.
PediSTAT
For those caring for pediatric patients in an emergency setting, PediSTAT provides a massive amount of resource material, including medication dosage charts subdivided by age and weight. All of its content is designed to help nurses and other medical professionals who use it to feel informed regarding these younger patients.
Smiling nurse in blue scrubs with a smiling patient lying on a hospital bed behind her
Translator Tools
Nurses serve as patient advocates and liaisons to other healthcare staff. When communication is less effective due to language barriers, patient care is impacted. With more than 25 million people in the country not fully proficient in English, nurses need tools to help bridge gaps in communication.
Patients who do not speak or understand the common language cannot fully express their symptoms and may lose confidence in their healthcare provider. Thankfully, some of the best nursing apps include ways to help break down language barriers:
MediBabble Translator
This app helps users translate between seven languages and English, allowing those who are not fluent in English express themselves and feel understood. Available in Spanish, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, and Hatian Creole, the MediBabble Translator. This app is only available on the iOS platform.
Nurse in blue scrubs using a tablet device in an empty hospital corridor
Time Management Resources
Between work, home, and school life, nurses are pressed for time. That’s why we consider time management tools some of the best nursing apps. Below are two options to help you keep flow and communication smooth at work.
NurseGrid
One of the best nursing apps is NurseGrid, a platform for communicating between nurses on your team. With the capability to message and schedule meetings with colleagues, this app can help you with filling or swapping shifts. It is also an effective way to stay connected to your team between department meetings when you work in a larger health care facility.
Nurses Aid
This one of the best nursing apps because it serves as an intuitive platform for nurses to manage their workday. Nurses Aid lets you sort and prioritize tasks while also setting personal reminders for when tasks are due. This app will help you prioritize your day and stay on top of your nursing duties. Available only on Android with no fee to download.
Smiling nurse practitioner in a white lab coat with a blue stethoscope around her neck
Advance Your Nursing Career
Carson-Newman University’s accredited, online MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) program is designed for today’s working nurses.
Ranked among U.S. News and World Report’s Top 100 Best Nursing Schools, Carson-Newman combines quality and accessibility, offering:
A robust academic curriculum in a flexible online format
Stress-free clinical site placements
Hands-on nursing residency offering real-world preparation
Ongoing support provided by dedicated faculty and staff
Small class sizes to offer more personalized attention
Carson-Newman University also offers an online Post-Master’s FNP Certificate program for MSN-holding nurses so that those who want to accelerate their nursing career to the next level and to enjoy more autonomy as a family nurse practitioner.
Request Your Free Program Brochure
Sources
Mary Rechtoris, “15 apps to help nurses improve patient care.” Becker’s Hospital Guide, 20 September 2016. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/12-apps-to-help-nurses-improve-patient-care.html
Kevin Smith, “App connects healthcare professionals with hospitals that need shifts filled.” The Orange County Register, 21 February 2020. https://www.ocregister.com/2020/02/21/app-connects-healthcare-professionals-with-hospitals-that-need-shifts-filled/
Eva Vega-Gamez et al., “Impact of Language Barriers on Patient Safety.” Journal of Nursing. http://rn-journal.com/journal-of-nursing/impact-of-language-barriers-on-patient-safety
C. Lee Ventola, “Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and Benefits.” P&T: A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Formulary Management, May 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4029126/
About Carson-Newman’s Online FNP Programs
Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is a nationally ranked Christian liberal arts university. An online, yet personal, learning environment connects you with fellow students, faculty, and staff. Faith and learning are combined to create evidence-based online graduate nursing programs designed to transform you into a more autonomous caregiver.
Through its online program and student-centric curriculum, Carson-Newman provides a life-changing education where students come first. Designed for working nurses, Carson-Newman’s affordable FNP programs feature 100% online coursework with no mandatory log-in times, clinical placement service, and exceptional individualized support that prepare graduates to pass the FNP licensure exam.
If you’re ready for the next step in your nursing career, consider the online Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner offered by Carson-Newman University and accredited by the CCNE.
For those who already hold an MSN degree, consider pursuing a Post-Master’s FNP Certificate to enjoy all the leadership opportunities, job satisfaction and autonomy of a family primary care provider. For more information, visit onlinenursing.cn.edu.
free nursing apps
Nurses are expected to perform at their absolute best at all times. Making sure to continuously engage oneself in the learning process is one way to help make this happen. It’s a good thing there’s an abundance of medical-focused applications to help you out. Using these resources can help keep you updated with the latest developments in the nursing field. Furthermore, it can help you retain and cement previously learned knowledge and skills.
Also Read: 100 Best Android Apps for Nurses
If you’re wondering what Nursing applications you can download for free, check out these completely free nursing apps:
1Oxford Medical Dictionary
Apple
Android
The app of the Oxford Dictionary of Nursing is essentially the app form of the book which is an indispensable reference material for nurses and nursing students. It features not only a wealth of the nursing-related terminologies commonly used in the field today but also terms related to medicine, anatomy, physiology, psychiatry, nutrition, and pharmacology as well.
2Drugs.com Medication Guide
Apple
Android
This is a free app from Drugs.com that is a great tool for looking up drugs and their interactions with each other. It’s extremely comprehensive, has an easy-to-use, quick search engine, and even has a pill identifier feature. Using this feature, drugs can be identified by simply inputting their shape, imprint, or color.
3Calculate by QxMD
Apple
Android
This is a calculating application, as its name suggests, which will help you calculate Framingham or CHADs2 scores in a jiffy. For a free app, the way Calculate focuses on things that can be directly helpful in diagnosis and general practice is very practical. As the store summary says, it focuses on helping you make decisions and not just calculate numbers.
4Medscape
Apple
Android
This application contains more than 3,200 diseases, conditions, and procedures. If you are having a hard time understanding a certain medical condition, disease, or a diagnosis, you can take this app out and simply look it up using Medscape’s search function.
5Epocrates
Apple
Android
You can use Epocrates to look for drug interactions and other drug information. It also boasts a wealth of calculators and tools for everyday medical use. Its user interface is very clean and easy to navigate. This app also features a pill identifier.
6CDC Vaccine Schedules
Apple
Android
Get CDC Vaccine Schedules if you need a quick guide to immunization schedules. It’s free and complete with footnotes and contraindications. One small but helpful feature is how the vaccine names are hyperlinked to dose specifications. It also updates automatically so that information is always up-to-date.
7Visual Anatomy Free
Apple
Android
Visual Anatomy Free is one of the best free anatomical atlases out there. Many apps force you to pay in order to access a majority of their content, but the free version of this app already features plenty of content to go around from muscles to bones to nerves and vasculature of each system. Descriptions are also very detailed. The provided model is easy to navigate, and there are even various quiz modes available.
8Nursing Dictionary by Farlex
Apple
Android
Nursing Dictionary by Farlex is another great nursing dictionary available to download for nursing students. It’s also one of the more complete in terms of information while not having spent a penny yet. It holds more than 56,000 medical terms related to nursing, and even quality images from other trusted medical dictionaries too.
9WebMD: Check Your Symptoms
Apple
Android
This prominent medical website also offers its own app. It offers all the health facts and information you need to know. It also has interactive tools that you can use in emergencies or otherwise like symptom and drug interaction checkers. A lot of patients also use this for self-learning so it might be useful to see what information they might have read up on based on this app.
10Skyscape Medical Library
Apple
Android
Skyscape Medical Library is one of the most essential nursing apps and clinical mobile resources available. Here, you can find lots of medical and health information. It’s easy to use and well-organized as well.
11Nurse’s Pocket Guide
Apple
Android
This app is a comprehensive nursing guide which can help you make more informed diagnoses and also create better healthcare plans for your patient. It features more than 400 medical conditions with their associated defining characteristics, actions, and interventions.
12Emergency Nurse Essentials
Apple
Android
Emergency Nurse Essentials is made for emergency nurses specifically. The app is very comprehensive and features an overview of many of the common situations, systems, illnesses, and treatments usually encountered by emergency nurses. Some of most need-to-know concepts and topics including various types of emergencies and modes of patient management are tackled in the form of guidelines and figures.
13Nursing Central
Apple
Android
Nursing Central describes itself as an “all-in-one clinical solution for nurses”. This is because Nursing Central is actually a combination of five different nursing applications: Davis’s Drug Guide, Taber’s Medical Dictionary, Davis’s Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, Diseases and Disorders, and Prime PubMed. The app is great for quick stats and drug information and even offers some skills videos as refreshers.
14My Nursing Mastery: Student, NCLEX & Nurse’s Guide
Apple
Android
While this app is aimed at nursing students in their review for the NCLEX, it is also helpful for new nurses as well. The free version only offers limited access to its full features of topics for nursing competencies, guidelines, and various teaching charts, but there is still are large amount of content freely available.
15Canopy Speak
Apple
Android
Canopy Speak offers a wide variety of translated medical terminology and phrases for those who may encounter many different languages and ethnicity in their practice. The great thing about it is that it covers a wide range of specialties and also a wide range of languages—not to mention that it’s completely free too.
There you have it — 15 must-use Nursing apps that you should try now. Do you know of other Nursing apps that you think every nurse should try? If so, share them with us. We would love to hear from you!
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check out other publications to gain access to more digital resources if you are just starting out with Flux Resource.
Also contact us today to optimize your business(s)/Brand(s) for Search Engines