"I like the portability and convenience of having it on your person," said Shertzer, of Brookhaven, who completed his first cycle last semester at Paoli Hospital. "It was my own personal reference and I didn’t have to take a lot of supplies."

Initiated in 2003, the PDA project sought to provide materials to students in clinical surroundings by supplying access to DCCC resources. The program, conceived by nursing professor Maryann McKenna and reference librarian/nursing department liaison Carol Videon, aimed at eliminating the barriers of time and place which restrict the use of library-based information.

The idea advanced from concept to concrete with the aid of a $50,000 Library Services and Technology Act grant from Commonwealth Libraries, Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The funds were used to purchase 50 PDAs which were loaded with a drug guide, lab diagnostic handbook, nursing practice handbook, clinical consult and medical calculator. Five full-time faculty members and 35 nursing students in Delaware and Chester counties were selected last fall to pilot the program, aided with online tutorials in the use of the devices.

As a result of the program’s success, the college was nominated for a SirsiDynix Building Better Communities Award, which recognizes innovative uses of technology solutions for libraries. Approximately 130 applications were submitted and DCCC was the only academic library of the five North American winners to receive a $10,000 prize. The award was used to buy 14 additional PDAs and the corresponding software.

"Carol’s brainchild dovetailed with my pursuit of the grants," said Karen Rege, director of Library Services. "It was wonderful that we had the funds to devote exclusively to the program."

Unlike books, which become dated as soon as they are printed, the pocket PCs can be revised four times a year. The software also allows the user to hyperlink from one section to another, such as moving from a text to a medical dictionary. The color photos and descriptions provide step-by-step methods for numerous procedures, such as inserting an IV.

"If a student has a patient assignment, he or she need not walk off the floor to check facts," McKenna. "The instant access provides a method for on-the-spot confirmation."

The program moved from pilot to permanent status this fall, with the use of PDAs integrated into the nursing curriculum, and all students have been asked to purchase a pocket PC. The cost of the handheld device and software ranges from $200 to $300 and the available updates and upgrades assure future RNs they will be referencing the most current material.

"Some people still prefer books, but a text cannot easily be brought to a clinical area," said McKenna. "PDAs are a viable alternative and with the explosion of information, they are a valuable source."