10 Best Mobile Apps for Nurses

Nursing can be a hectic, fast-paced job. That’s why nurses need the right tools at their fingertips.

Studies show that nurses can use apps to improve accuracy, increase efficiency, and enhance productivity on the job. Apps can aid in time management, patient monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making.

From an ever-growing library in your native app store, here are the ten best mobile apps to help nurses and nursing students work smarter (not harder).

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#1 - Drugs.com Medication Guide

Worrying over medication errors can keep nurses up at night. But nurses using this app will rest easy. Drugs.com’s Med Guide app accesses drug information, interactions, and side effects in seconds. With a tap on the app, nurses can check peer-reviewed, accurate and independent data on over 24,000 prescription drugs, OTC medicines & natural products.

Other features include:

• A-Z drug index for pregnancy/breastfeeding
• FDA MedWatch alerts
• Updates on drug shortages
• Symptom Checker tool
• Pill identifier lookup tool

When logging in, nurses should select the on-screen option to view content tailored for healthcare professionals. 
Pros: Fast, easy-to-use, accurate
Cons: Upgrade required to remove ads ($1.99-4.99)
Cost: Free
Download Links:  Google Play or Apple iTunes

#2 - MediBabble Translator

Caring for patients with a language barrier is tricky. That is, unless the nurse has MediBabble Translator. The professional-grade medical interpretation app for healthcare providers is designed to improve efficiency, safety, and care quality for non-English speakers.

Spanish is preloaded, and five other languages (French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, and Haitian Creole) are available as downloads. MediBabble can help nurses with triage, initial assessments, and interviews. Also, the developers are working on an enhanced nursing-specific module, which is coming soon.

Pros: Works without an internet connection
Cons: Limited languages, best for assessment, not great for explaining procedures
Cost: free
Download Links: Android or Apple iTunes

#3 - Medline Skin Health Product Selector

Medline designed the Skin Health Product Selector to give nurses customized wound care recommendations based on quick answers to six easy questions. App also links to helpful resources, including:

• Treatment videos showing how to apply dressings
• Medline University online training
• Unlimited access to over 200 free CEU courses for nurses ranging from wellness and nutrition to trauma and self-care

Nurses do not have to create an account to use the app if they choose “Guest.”

Pros: Fast, appropriate recommendations for wound care
Cons: Recommendations are limited to the brand’s products
Cost: Free
Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#4 - ECG Guide

Nurses who interpret and manage patients with various rhythms will love the ECG Guide app. It’s a learning tool for those still training and a reliable reference for experienced nurses. In-app features include:

• Library of over 200 high-resolution ECG samples
• ECG Interpreter
• Multiple choice quizzes to test knowledge
• Rapid reference section
• Guidance on pediatric conditions is included.

Pros: Accurate and clear resource
Cons: It does not analyze external ECG samples
Cost: $0.99 
Download Links: Android or Apple iTunes

#5 - Medscape

Medscape online is the one-stop medical resource for medical news, education, and clinical reference. Nurses can access all this and more in the user-friendly Medscape app. One feature this app has that the others on the list don’t is a podcast hub. Each show features an expert and discussion on trending healthcare topics. Other great resources in the app include:

• Current news affecting nurses
• Access to drug and disease databases
• Continuing education for nurses
• Clinical trial updates
• Online and local events and webinars

Pros: Informative, lots of functionality
Cons: Lots of annoying ads
Cost: Free
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#6 - GoodRx Pro

Nurses who aren’t using GoodRx are late to the game. Since 2011, GoodRx’s mobile app has helped patients save around $30 billion on prescription drug costs. Now GoodRx for healthcare professionals lets nurses and doctors join the cause. GoodRx Pro for HCPs aims to increase medication adherence by letting users create a list of commonly dispensed prescriptions. Nurses can then send info to patients by email or text.

Pros: Extreme savings for patients
Cons: No bells and whistles (features)
Cost: Free
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#7 - Incredible Health Career Support

The best thing about this app is the premium CEUs that can be customized to the nurse’s state, specialty, and interests. Nurses can complete CE requirements fast at home, on a shift, or commuting by clicking “CE & Tools.” Incredible Health’s app also lets RNs browse jobs, compare salaries, and ask questions in the nursing community. Over 1000 users support this app with 4.9 stars on iTunes.

Pros: The app creators thoughtfully developed it with support for nurses in mind, including mental health tools like the monthly mental health index. 
Cons: Some tools are not actually in the app. Rather, the app links direct users to a webpage which slows functionality.
Cost: Free
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#8 - IV Medications Handbook by Gahart

This mobile app is a nursing handbook for the safe administration of IV Medications. It is updated for 2022, including the latest information on drugs approved by the FDA. The IV Meds app is a comprehensive, searchable resource for infusion therapy in all patient populations, from neonatal to geriatric. Easily find the black box or boxed warnings, dosage and dilution charts, and alphabetical drug monographs. Nurses can access:

• Generic/trade names
• Drug pH
• Dose adjustments
• Incompatibilities
• Rate of administration
• Actions
• Indications and uses
• Contraindications & precautions
• Drug/lab interactions
• Side effects
• Antidotes

Within the app, nurses can make notes, voice memos, and annotations with text, doodle, or scribble.

Pros: Updated annually, Gives nurses peace of mind when working with new infusions 
Cons: Expensive
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $49.99 for the annual subscription.
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#9 - Taber’s Medical Dictionary

Taber’s is one of the most trusted resources for nurses. The full Taber’s Medical Dictionary now contains over 75,000 terms, 1,300 photos, 33,700 audio pronunciations, 130 videos, and 600+ Patient Care Statements from the latest edition. The Taber’s mobile app gives nurses pocket access to the latest 24th edition content trusted by professionals worldwide. Other features in this app include:

• Nutrition and alternative therapy
• Immunization schedules
• Medical Abbreviations appendix
• Lab Values
• Looking up the same information online would take hours of reading and research. Instead, this app provides the clinically relevant information needed in one place. In seconds, nurses can quickly search, bookmark, highlight, and annotate what they need.

Pros: Comprehensive resource, tons of information for nursing practice
Cons: Pricey
Cost:  Free version is limited. The full version is $39.99. 
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes

#10 - Nursing Central

Many may consider this last app on the list as the best, at least regarding reference tools. Nursing Central’s mobile app gives access to five nursing volumes in one place. Users get:

• Davis’s Drug Guide - education on over 5000 medications
• Taber’s Medical Dictionary - see #9
• Davis’s Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests
• Diseases and Disorders

Bedside nurses and nursing students will be over-prepared for any task with this app in their pocket. Users also get access to the Nursing Central website for one year.

Pros: The most reference material in one place
Cons: Very expensive
Cost: Annual subscription is $179.99, but users can preview the app for free.
Download Links: Google Play or Apple iTunes