Tasha’s Tech Tips: 2SN and Mobile Resources for Nursing@Simmons Students

Tasha’s Tech Tips is a blog series by Nursing@Simmons student Tasha Ellsberry. Tasha is an RN from Jacksonville, Florida, where she works as a pediatric care coordinator.

A major benefit of being a Nursing@Simmons online student is the portability and being able to access materials no matter where I am. There are many great mobile resources and applications that students have free access to. These apps and resources enable us to access current and past coursework in an easy and convenient way. 2SN is the mobile application for students enrolled in the Nursing@Simmons online Family Nurse Practitioner program. This app allows for mobile access to coursework, social groups, and the program’s learning management system. It is available on both Android and iOS devices and is free to download. 2SN provides students with the following:

  • Access to interactive course material, including lessons, documents, and videos.
  • The ability to save course materials via an offline mode for viewing when an Internet connection is unavailable.
  • Interaction with colleagues and instructors through posting comments, documents, photos, and videos on your course walls and in your academic and social groups.
  • Notifications for upcoming due dates, live sessions, and events.

As a student, busy wife, mother, and nurse, it’s important for me to be able to have access to my course materials when I’m not at home in front of my computer. The ability to easily access my weekly asynchronous videos while at the gym, children’s sports practices, and even while I’m cleaning the house is extremely important in my day-to-day life. This feature makes the Nursing@Simmons program stand apart from other online programs. The 2SN app isn’t the only mobile resource that students have here at Simmons. In addition to 2SN, students also have access to many other applications, such as DynaMed and Nursing Central that can be used as great resources for class, studying, and even clinical rotations. These apps and resources can be found in the Simmons Online Library under Mobile Research & Apps. Here are a few of my favorite apps and websites that I often use:

  • Lexicomp: I reference this website during my clinical rotations to look up information on medication.
  • Access Medicine: Available through the Simmons library, it includes drug monographs, a diagnostic tool, and current practice guidelines in primary care.
  • Google Drive: No matter what device I am on, I can use Google Drive to access files, upload and share documents with classmates, and collaborate on group projects.
  • Simmons Library App: You can log into the Simmons library and search for articles and references, as well as access all of the mobile resources.
  • MedScape: This website provides a wealth of resources, articles, and overall health information.
  • Kindle Reading App: Many of the textbooks required for Nursing@Simmons courses can be found in e-book format. I personally like to use the Kindle app for reading; however, iBooks for Apple products is great to use as well.

While these are just a few of my favorites, there are many other mobile resources available for students to use. There are apps for research, learning, reading, note taking, writing, presenting, and even productivity. As a Nursing@Simmons student, I highly urge my fellow classmates to download the 2SN app, as well as take a look at the Mobile Research & Apps section of the Simmons library to see which resources will best assist them in their classes and clinical placement. If you have any suggestions on other apps and resources, please feel free to comment below so we can all check them out.

Tasha Ellsberry, RN, BSN

Nursing@Simmons MSN-FNP Student

March 2014 Cohort