A few of our favourite things for nursing and healthcare students
This blog lists 3 of our favourite things. These resources are also the ones we recommended on almost a daily basis to healthcare students and Health Care Practitioners we support. We love them so much that they are also included in our “Some Simple Solutions” inclusive practice workshop for mentors and Trusts and our dyslexia and dyspraxia awareness training.
This blog has been compiled by myself (Kerry) and Andrew a nurse and specialist mentor at Diverse Learners. We list why we like them, where to get them, how much they cost.
1. Great Ways to Learn Anatomy and Physiology
What – A colourful and interactive introduction to learning basic anatomy and physiology.
Why we like it – The friendly style and minimal text doesn’t overwhelm. Great techniques for learning to learn using all your senses. Presents info in many different ways: mind maps, flow diagrams, pictures and even has a section on drug calculations and reducing stress. Andrew wishes it has been available when he trained.
Nursing Times Book review here (http://www.nursingtimes.net/break-time/book-reviews/great-ways-to-learn-anatomy-and-physiology-second-edition/5091073.blog)
Who – Charmaine MicKissock, consultant, author and illustrator who has a background in supporting students and healthcare. This is the 2nd edition and published in 2014.
How much – £14.95 ISBN 978 – 1 – 137 – 41523 – 3
Where to get it – From Amazon or Palgrave Macmillan as it is part of their great Study Guide range.
2. Medincle
What – A medical terminology spell checker to improve accuracy speed and learning and proofing medical spelling.
Why we like it – It only highlights wrongly spelled medical terminology and gets rid of red lines under correctly spelled terms. Having 77,000 terms including thousands of generic trade drug names – our team have not caught it out yet. It is unobtrusive, working in the background, so you won’t have a toolbar in your Word document.
Who – Designed by Richard Purcell and Niels Leadholm when medical students at Bristol University. Richard has dyslexia and Niels has English as a second language.
How much – Available as individual license from £52.20 *. Available as part of a Disabled Students Allowances package. Also available a multi-user / site license for organisations such as, universities, health faculties, hospitals and health trusts.
Where to get it website and email address – https://medincle.co.uk/ contact@medical.co.uk
Update September 2016
*Since this blog went live Medincle have offered 10% off the cost of a Single License – quote code Diverse2016 to claim your discount at checkout
Medincleplus is also now available – an add on for the speech to text software Dragon Naturally Speaking improving its accuracy for dictation of medical terms. A lifetime license (spellchecker + Dragon dictation software add-on) is £79.40.
3. A-Z “glossary”
What – An A6, hardback, small address book with blank pages.
Why we like it – As it already has A-Z on the pages so makes it much easier to record and locate terminology rather than having lots of terms in a notebook in any order that can be difficult to find again.
Having blank pages means you are not restricted to fitting everything into a small box.
It also fits in a tunic pocket so great to use when on placement to easily record all the new terminology and drug names.
How it can be used –
Write the term under the correct letter
- You can abbreviations beside terms
- Writing meanings in your own words will aid retention and improve recall of information
- Medication can be listed by generic name with the brand name in brackets
- Medication can be recorded by brand name beside (generic name)
- Additional information can be added next to the term such as common dosage or family of drug
- Terms like pneumonia can be listed under P but also by the “sound” N
How much – £5-10 depending on design.
Where to get it – Available from most stationers.