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Nursing Students

Research Guide for Nursing Students including Entry to Nursing, MSN, DNP, DNP/PhD

Drug Tools/Clinical Calculators

Clinical tools are evidence-based resources designed to support healthcare professionals in making informed decisions at the point of care. For graduate nursing students, these tools—such as UpToDate, DynaMedex, and Nursing Reference Center Plus—offer concise summaries of clinical conditions, diagnostic strategies, current guidelines, and patient education materials. Many also include integrated clinical calculators like EBMCalc, or ClinicalKey (e.g., for renal function, BMI, or risk assessment) and drug reference tools like Lexicomp, which provide detailed information on medications, interactions, and dosing. These resources are especially useful during clinical rotations and advanced practice experiences, helping you make evidence-informed decisions, enhance patient safety, and build confidence in your clinical reasoning skills.

Mobile Applications

Mobile apps are powerful tools that put clinical knowledge, decision support, and educational content right at your fingertips—ideal for busy graduate nursing students on the go. Many clinical resources offer mobile apps that allow you to search clinical topics, check drug interactions, use calculators, and access patient education materials from your smartphone or tablet. These apps are particularly useful during clinical rotations or in fast-paced care settings where quick, evidence-based answers are essential. Some apps are available for free through Johns Hopkins’ institutional subscriptions; be sure to check access instructions to take full advantage of mobile learning and practice support.

Mobile Apps

DynaMedex (Subscription)

  1. Open DynaMed under "Clinical Tools" on the Welch Medical Library website (note that you must be on-campus or connected via the VPN).
  2. Click on "Sign in" in the upper right-hand corner of the page and choose the option to register for an account.
  3. Search for the DynaMed app in the iOS or Google Play app store, install the app.
  4. Log in with your personal credentials.

VisualDX (Subscription)

1. From a clinical workstation or on the vpn, open VisualDX under Clinical Tools on the Welch Medical Library website.

2. At the bottom of the page, click on "Create a Personal Account".

3. Once you've created a personal account, download VisualDX from the appropriate app store.

4. Sign into the app using the email address and password you used to create the personal account.

 

You can use VisualDX or DermExpert from the mobile app.

 

EBSCO (Subscription)

  1. Open any EBSCO database, such as CINAHL or PsycINFO from the Welch Medical Library (note that you must be on-campus or connected via the VPN)
  2. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the first page of the database and click on the link to the appropriate app store
  3. You will be prompted to enter your e-mail address
  4. You will receive and access code via the above e-mail address
  5. Search for the EBSCO app in the app store, install the app and enter the access code when prompted

new ebsco app buttons on website

JHU POC-It Guides (Free)

Johns Hopkins Medicine created and maintained POC-IT guides on multiple topics including the Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, Diabetes Guide, HIV Guide, and Psychiatry Guide.

  1. Visit POC-IT Guides home page (note that you must be on-campus or connected via the VPN) and click on Mobile from the main navigation
  2. Click Register to create an account you will need to access the apps
  3. You can choose Central, which includes additional resources, or Johns Hopkins Guides by clicking on the green Continue button
  4. Complete the registration process and follow the on-screen instructions for installing the app on your device

Micromedex (Subscription)

  1. Open Micromedex from the Welch Medical Library website (note that you must be on-campus or connected via the VPN)
  2. Click on "Mobile Application Access" link on the top-right of the screen or the "Download Mobile Apps" link under Resources
  3. You will find the access codes and download instructions there. The Micromedex database is split across multiple apps which need to be downloaded separately. Each app has a unique password:
    • Drug Ref: contains information from the drug monograph
    • Drug Int: drug interactions
    • IV Comp: information about drug IV compatibility
    • NeoFax: drug therapy information for neonatal patients
    • Micromedex Pedriatrics

screenshot micromedex highlighted mobile apps button at bottom of screen.

UpToDate (Subscription)

  1. Access UpToDate from the Welch Medical Library website (note that you must be on-campus or connected via the VPN)
  2. Click on the "Register" link in the upper-right corner to create an account with UpToDate
  3. Go to the App Store on the device you want to install UpToDate
  4. Search for uptodate
  5. Click on the icon to install the app and launch the app when the download is complete
  6. On the sign in screen, log in using the credentials you just created

Other Free Apps

If you are interested in learning more about medical apps, www.iMedicalApps.com is a great resource.

Patient Education

Patient education is a vital component of nursing practice, and having access to reliable, easy-to-understand materials can help you communicate complex health information clearly and effectively. Many clinical tools—such as Nursing Reference Center Plus, UpToDate, and MedlinePlus—offer printable handouts and multimedia resources tailored to a range of literacy levels and languages. These materials can be used to support shared decision-making, reinforce discharge instructions, or promote healthy behaviors. As a graduate nursing student, incorporating patient education tools into your practice not only enhances patient engagement and outcomes but also prepares you to model health literacy best practices as a future nurse educator or advanced clinician.