The use of personal digital assistants at the point of care in an undergraduate nursing program.

This study examined the relationships between the use of personal digital assistants and self-efficacy and the preparation for medication administration among second-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students in a medical-surgical clinical environment. By using a controlled experimental method, the study attempted to support claims about the educational benefits of personal digital assistants which have generally been reported in more descriptive and anecdotal formats. The sample consisted of 36 students, of which two groups had personal digital assistants and two groups served as a control. The control groups were provided with paper resources equivalent to the software provided by the personal digital assistants. Findings showed a significant increase in self-efficacy in the groups with personal digital assistants.