Clinical nursing instructors' use of handheld computers for student recordkeeping and evaluation.

I have found the Palm IIIc to be useful in tracking undergraduate student progress in the clinical area. Entrepreneurial thinkers continue to develop new ideas in software, so the possibilities for using these devices will only grow. Future possibilities for handheld computers include built-in Internet connections or providing students with devices to record and analyze their experiences or complete assignments. Many nurses and physicians who have learned to use handheld computers are sure they never want to go back to using paper and pen (Labkoff & O'Mahony, 1997; Wilson & Fulmer, 1998). I will continue to depend on and find new uses for this pocket-sized, yet powerful, device.