"I think there's an app for that..."

We've been trying to get a picture of the hummingbird(s) that has/have been coming to our feeder, but so far we have not been successful. Lately we've been enjoying sitting out on the front porch from time to time, and just watching the cars go by and reading. I've been studying for my PHRN classes, which are soon coming to an end. Although the classes will end, I won't be able to go for my certification exam until completing the out-of-class phase of precepting this summer. So, while sitting on the front porch and studying, we were visited hesitantly by a tiny little creature flapping at a mighty pace. Wow! Those little birds can move! They don't hover in one spot for very long, and if you don't sit very still, they are instantly gone. So, it's pretty hard to get the camera in place for a picture. I tried sitting there with my iPod pointed toward the feeder, and waiting for the little hummingbird to come back, but every time, it remains ever elusive and camera shy. If we do get any pictures, maybe we'll try to post them later. It is pretty cool to have that little bird fly up to drink within about 4 -5 feet away from where we are sitting.

Speaking of iPods.... I've never had one of those before, and never had a "smart" phone either. This is quite impressive to the likes of me. Within a week of owning this thing, I've already downloaded at least 6-10 apps for things that I'll use in emergency healthcare. Pretty handy! I should have gotten one of these a long time ago.

While these gadgets are handy, they don't replace common sense and having your own clinical knowledge and assessment skills. It's great to be on the cutting edge of technology, but expertise is of pertinent value. In today's age, it seems like there's an app for almost anything - just check iTunes. Most of them are free or cheap. I have a drug guide, a HazMat guide, two vehicle rescue guides for hybrid vehicles (so you don't accidentally cut into an airbag or electrical components), Pandora radio, a Bible, a metronome, a pediatric emergency guide, an app to document interventions for a patient during a cardiac arrest (just tap on the intervention you did, and it time-stamps it - it does not tell you what to do), the Weather Channel, 69 News, and the list goes on.

I'm slightly amused by folks who rely heavily on their apps for things they should already know. The apps are nice for less frequently used data, but common things like CPR shouldn't require a provider to whip out their iPhone to look at an app.

"Like, totally dude, I wonder what would happen if somebody like, totally had a massive heart attack in the dentist's office."

"Uh... I think there's an app for that. Siri, call an ambulance!"