Technology is evolving at a rapid rate. It seems like every day there’s a new gadget or device that claims to be set to revolutionize the way we live or work. While some of these claims might be true, others are more akin to gimmicks. Deciding which of these gadgets would be useful and which of them just aren’t can be quite a challenge.
As a student nurse, anything that can make your work easier or your time at college more productive is welcome, so let’s have a look at some of these tech gadgets that might do just that.
A Multifunction Printer
Let’s start off with the mundane, but essential pick. You’re undoubtedly going to need to print your college work and assignments, but you might also need to copy something from a book or scan something to submit it or email it digitally. That’s where a multifunction printer is going to come in use. These 3-in-1 devices can print, scan and copy, and are essential in any student’s working space.
A Good Pair of Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you’ve signed up to complete one of the accelerated BSN online programs, being able to concentrate when you need is important. The first step to creating an environment that is conducive to concentration is to eliminate noise. A pair of active noise-canceling headphones will assist with this nicely. By using a built-in microphone to listen to the noise in your environment and play the opposite sound waves into your ears, they actively cancel out any noise around you, making concentration much easier if you’re working in a noisy space.
A Bluetooth Speaker
Some of your coursework is going to involve listening to lectures or watching videos, and a Bluetooth speaker will make this easier. It’ll be much louder than your phone or tablet’s built-in speakers, which means you can get on with other things while you listen. Why not do the dishes while you listen to a lecture?
A Smart Assistant
There are a few options in the smart assistant arena, with big companies like Google offering the Google Home and Amazon offering Alexa via their Echo devices. Smart assistants are excellent for student nurses because they allow you to set alarms and reminders with your voice, and can even answer any questions you ask it
A Wireless Charger
Wireless chargers work by creating an electromagnetic field between the charger and the device you place on them to create an electrical current and charge your device. It’s a flat pad that you just need to place your phone on top of and it will start charging. This is great because you can quickly and easily use your phone if you need it while it’s charging and then drop it back onto the wireless charger to carry on. No cables needed.
A Portable Charger
Wireless chargers work really well if you need something around the house. But if you forget to charge your phone or if you’re going to be out of the house for a while, you’ll want something you can use to charge your essential devices on the go. That’s where a portable battery charger comes in handy. It’s a power pack you can take anywhere with you, holding enough power to charge your phone at least once. Some of the bigger portable chargers can keep your phone charged for entire weekends or a few days. This might be one of the most useful devices you’ll ever own.
An Activity Tracker
If you’re going to be on the go every day, why not use the opportunity to discover some trends about your fitness or activity levels? Activity trackers usually take the form of wristwatch type devices and can be used as a watch. They track things like the number of steps you do, the distance you walk, how many stairs you climb, and some other useful stats. Some will even monitor the amount and quality of sleep you’re getting – essential for any student.
A Wi-Fi Connected Coffee Machine
Yes, you read right. These coffee brewing machines connect to your Wi-Fi and can be controlled by an app on your smartphone. Imagine if you could open an app and set your coffee machine going on your way home from a busy day of lectures so that when you walk in your door, fresh hot coffee is waiting for you. Sounds good right? It’s totally possible in the age of automation with a Wi-Fi-connected coffee machine.
A Self-Cleaning Water Bottle
This is a rather new product in the tech gadget space, and while it sounds simple enough, there’s some real science behind it. They don’t work all in the exact same way, but the most common option, the LARQ Water Bottle uses UV-C LED technology to purify the contents of the water bottle and clean the inside walls of the bottle. Most are even insulated so your water is kept cool for a good few hours.
A Few Bluetooth Tracking Stickers
Bluetooth tracking stickers are the tech equivalent of those old keyrings that used to make a noise if you whistled. They’re tiny little devices that can be stuck to anything, connecting to your smartphone by Bluetooth. If you’re looking for something that has a Bluetooth tracking sticker on it, simply open the app and touch the ‘locate’ button, and your device will make its location known by making an audible noise. Some of these devices might even have map support, so it will log its location on a map of where it last connected to your phone.
There we have it – 10 essential (we admit it, not all of them are essential) tech gadgets for student nurses. You’re going to be busy and on the go almost every day of your time at college, so you’ll want your tech to work for you. If you can start to brew your coffee when you’re on your way home or spend less time looking for things you use often, your days will be more efficient, and that’s what technology is all about.
