Mobile Apps and Resources

Guidance and access to mobile apps and sites provided to staff through the Library.

Things to Consider When Selecting and Using Mobile Apps

Connectivity

Should I use wireless (WiFi) or mobile broadband (cellular data)?

Some apps require consistent connectivity, while others need to be connected to WiFi or mobile broadband for updates.
Think about how and where you'll be using an app most. Does the area have wireless? If not, using mobile broadband will cost you. Check out the connectivity capabilities of your device.

Device Operating System

Different apps are available for different devices. Most library-supported apps are available for Apple and Android devices. Keep in mind that some apps are designed specifically for tablets or smart phones, not both.

Get the Right Device

Computer Data Storage

All devices come with a certain amount of storage space. When you download and install an app on your mobile device it takes up a certain amount of storage real estate.
Consider how much space you are willing to give up on your device for an app. Some apps take up a considerable amount of storage, while others are not as large.

BMJ Best Practice

Have confidence in your clinical decisions. Check guidelines and evidence, consult expert opinion, brush up on rare conditions, and confirm that you are taking the correct course of action.

The BMJ Best Practice app is your instant second opinion, whenever and wherever you need it.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad iOS 13.0 or later 46.6 MB
Android 5.1 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

For initial download, please ensure you are connected to a WiFi network to avoid charges to your cellular data plan.

Create a BMJ Best Practice Account

  1. Access BMJ Best Practice via the library's databases page
  2. Create a BMJ Best Practice personal account in pop-up box
  3. Download and install app from the App Store or from Google Play
  4. Select "Log in" and enter your BMJ Best Practice personal account details to sign in

To update BMJ Best Practice simply open the application. As long as your device is connected to a wireless network or a cellular data plan, the content will update automatically. You will be able to tell if there are updates by the loading icon next to the wireless/cellular icon on your device and by the "Installing" notification next to certain topics.

This process may take some time. It is a good idea to update content frequently so you can avoid slowdowns when you need to use the app.
Note: You may want to plug in your device and make sure you're connected to the internet via wireless connection—not cellular—before performing updates. Heavy data usage rates may apply.

ClinicalKey

Point-of-care reference tool that searches over 1,000 books, 500 journals, thousands of videos, and millions of images. Find information on rare cases and earn CME credits on the go. ClinicalKey draws relevant answers from continuously updated, trusted content and multimedia across medical specialties.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad Requires iOS 9.3 or later. 26.5 MB
Android 4.1 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

 

  1. Access ClinicalKey via the library's databases page
  2. From ClinicalKey's website, select "Register" in the top right corner
  3. Fill out required fields and use your @nshealth.ca email to create account and confirm registration
  4. Access ClinicalKey again via the library's databases page 
  5. Select "Login" and select "Apply for Remote Access". Enter your email
  6. Confirm remote access in activation email
  7. Visit the App Store or Google Play from your mobile device to download ClinicalKey
  8. Open the app and log in with your account details (@nshealth.ca email and password)

 

CPS (formerly RxTx)

CPS (formerly RxTx) has a new appearance. CPS is still the reliable, evidence-based drug resource it has always been and provides essential drug information at the point-of-care for health care practitioners.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad iOS 9.0 or later 93.1 MB
Android 5.0 and up*  

Download and Install

Set-up Instructions for Mobile Devices

To create a password and get set up:

  1. Email asklibrary@nshealth.ca to request the Organizational Code.
  2. Go to https://shop.pharmacists.ca/s/login/SelfRegister
  3. If you do not have a CPS account:
    • Enter your email address and select Create an Individual Account.
    • You will receive a Welcome email. Follow the instructions to create a CPhA profile password. (Be sure to check your Junk Email if you don’t receive the email within a few minutes.)
  4. If you already have a CPS account:
    • Select Log In / Register in the top right of the page.
    • Enter your existing username and password.
  5. Once your password has been set and you have logged in, go to the “profile” icon at the top right of the page and select Profile from the dropdown menu.
  6. Scroll down to the Set Mobile Enterprise Code section and enter the Nova Scotia Health Organization Code.( Go to step 1 if you haven't requested the Organizational Code)
  7. Set a CPS Password.
  8. Select the Next button to complete set up. You should see the message: “The mobile code has been set.”
  9. You will receive a Welcome to the CPS Mobile App email.
  10. On your mobile device, download the CPS by CPhA mobile app from the App Store and from the Google Play Store*
    • To download content, ensure your device is connected to a wireless network or a cellular data plan.
  11. Log in to the mobile app using your email address and the CPS password you just created. Note: To download content, ensure your device is connected to a wireless network or a cellular data plan.

You can set up an account to use the CPS by CPhA app on your mobile device using Nova Scotia Health’s Organization Code and your own password.

*Android Device Troubleshooting

If you have issues with accessing the CPS App on your Android device, please follow the below steps: To add a website to an Android home screen:

  1. Open Google Chrome (or preferred browser) and go to the CPS website: https://login.nshealth.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.myrxtx.ca/
  2. Then drop down the menu by tapping the screen’s three-dot icon at the top right-hand corner.
  3. Select ‘Add to Home screen’.
    To create a password and get set up:
  1. Go to https://shop.pharmacists.ca/s/login/SelfRegister.
  2. Enter your email address and select Create an Individual Account.
  3. You will receive a Welcome email. Follow the instructions to create a CPhA profile password. (Be sure to check your Junk Email if you don’t receive the email within a few minutes.)
  4. See above Set-up Instructions from Step 5.

Content will automatically update when app is opened.

Dynamic Health

Evidence-based resource designed to help nurses and allied health professionals find guidance on care interventions and to obtain fast, accurate answers to clinical questions. Skills and procedures feature workplace notes created by Nova Scotia Health staff on an ongoing basis, adding local context alongside best evidence.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad Requires iOS 16.0 or later 25.3 MB
Android 8.0 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

  1. Go to the iOS App Store or Google Play Store and search for Dynamic Health.
  2. Download the Dynamic Health app and log in via Your Personal Account Credentials: Enter your Dynamic Health personal account credentials and tap the “Sign In” button.
  3. After you log in, you are prompted to install via one of the following options:
    1. Partial Install: Store text and image thumbnails on your device. Full images are available when you are connected to the Internet. This option helps you save space on your device.
    2. Full Install: Store all Dynamic Health content on your device. You do not need to be connected to the Internet to access content on the app. Please note: Video content requires a network connection to view.

Note: It is recommended that you are on a WiFi connection for the initial download of Dynamic Health content as well as when updates become available.

  1. Access your Dynamic Health app anytime, anywhere!

iPublish Central

eReader app that syncs with library eBooks purchased through select publishers including Thieme and American Pathology Association. App supports PDF, EPUB 2 & EPUB 3 formats.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad iOS 9.0 or later 187.1 MB
Android 5.0 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

This app can be used without a WiFi or cellular connection. However, it must be updated periodically and will require an internet connection. WiFi is required to download ebooks. They can then be viewed without a connection.

Set-up Instructions

  1. Visit the App Store or Google Play from your mobile device to download iPublish Central
  2. Open your web browser and visit the following URL to download e-books:

No account set-up required.

iPublish updates automatically when you open the application. Manual content updates are not required.

Isabel

Isabel is a support tool for diagnostic decision-making. Enter symptoms and clinical features for a rapid list of possible diagnoses, as well as guidelines and protocols, and access to related information from textbooks, journals, and internet resources. Covers over 6,000 diseases and 4,000 drugs in all specialties.

When Should You Use Isabel?

  • Cases with diagnostic dilemma
  • When your patient is not responding to treatment
  • To research potential pathologies
  • When you need evidence-based guidelines and treatment options
  • With patients who have been in hospital without diagnosis for two days or more

Audience

Connectivity

Access Isabel

  1. Contact asklibrary@nshealth.ca to request username and password
  2. Access Isabel via the library's databases page
  3. [Optional] Save the shortcut to your home screen
  4. You may be asked to log in using your Nova Scotia Health credentials (see screen capture below). If so, use the same username and password you use to log in to your work computer or work email

  5. You may be asked to log in a second time. If so, use the username and password provided by Library Services in step 1 and check Remember Me to save the login details for later

  6. If accessing from a mobile device, save the web site to your home screen

E-mail asklibrary@nshealth.ca to request username and password.

Isabel updates automatically. Manual content updates are not required.

Micromedex App Suite

Drugs, interactions, dosing tools, including neonatal and pediatric.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad iOS 8.0 or later 5.6-8.1 MB
Android 4.4 and up  

Connectivity

User Resources

Download and Install

Each of the five Micromedex apps require a password. Email asklibrary@nshealth.ca to request the passwords.

  1. Download and install app from the App Store or from Google Play (see individual links below)
  2. Open the app and select "MicroMedex Customer"
  3. Enter the password provided by the library

Micromedex Drug Reference

Download from the App Store or Google Play.

Micromedex Drug Interactions

Download from the App Store or Google Play.

Micromedex IV Compatibility

Download from the App Store or Google Play.​

Micromedex Neofax

Download from the App Store or Google Play.​

Micromedex Pediatrics

Download from the App Store or Google Play.​

No account set-up required. Contact the library at asklibrary@nshealth.ca to request app passwords.

The data contained in Micromedex is under a constant review process and is updated as needed. You will be notified by the application when updates are available.

Nursing Reference Center Plus (NRC Plus)

New

Nursing Reference Center Plus™ is a comprehensive reference tool designed to provide relevant clinical resources to nurses, directly at the point-of-care. This free app is available for Nova Scotia Health staff and physicians with an institutional subscription to NRC Plus. It offers the best available and most recent clinical evidence from thousands of full-text documents.

Audience

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad Requires iOS 9.3 or later 29.1 MB
Android 4.0 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

  1. Download the Nursing Reference Center Plus from the App Store or from Google Play.
    *If you have the Nursing Reference Center app installed on your device, you must uninstall it before installing the Nursing Reference Center Plus app.
  2. Access NRC Plus interface via the library databases page
  3. Click the NRC Plus Mobile App Access link at the bottom of the page and enter your email address. An email with an authentication key is sent to you. Note: You must use your Nova Scotia Health email address
  4. Access your Nova Scotia Health e-mail from the device on which you have installed the NRC Plus app, and click the link found in the email to authenticate the application. You have 24 hours to access the key from your device to authenticate the app. If the key is not used within 24 hours, it expires and you will need a new key.
  5. If using an off network/personal device the app opens to a sign in page:
    1. Click on "Access through your institution"
    2. Search "Nova Scotia Health" and click on "Nova Scotia Health (Consolidated Library Services)" in the results
    3. You may be asked to log in using your Nova Scotia Health credentials (see screen capture below). If so, use the same username and password you use to log in to your work computer or work email

No account set-up required. However, you may be asked to use your Nova Scotia Health credentials.. If so, use the same username and password you use to log in to your work computer or work email.

How to Renew Your Account

Once the app is authenticated, it can be used for nine months, after which you must send yourself a new authentication key from the NRC Plus interface.

The content in the NRC Plus mobile app is automatically updated while the app is in use and you are online. If you have not used the app while online, you may want to force an update, which will install all content updates since your last online use. To check for updates:

  1. Tap the menu icon in the upper right of the screen mobile app menu icon.
  2. Tap Update Status in the menu that appears on the screen.
  3. Select Force Update Now to install all pending content updates.

PsychiatryOnline

Features access to  DSM-5®—the most widely used psychiatric reference in the world—and The American Journal of Psychiatry for psychiatric reference.

Audience

System Requirements

PsychiatryOnline is browser-based. Any mobile browser on any mobile device will work.

Connectivity

How to Pair Your Mobile Device With PsychiatryOnline

See the following document on how to pair your mobile device with your My POL (PsychiatryOnline) account.

  1. Visit PsychiatryOnline from the Library's Databases page
  2. Click on the "Register" link at the top of the page
  3. Create an account
You will have access to the most up-to-date content when you sign into your My POL (PsychiatryOnline) account.

TDS Health (STAT!Ref)

More than 80 ebooks, Med-Calc medical calculator and Anatomy TV. 400+ resources in over 50 health care disciplines, including dentistry, emergency medicine, evidence-based medicine, infectious disease, microbiology, nursing, nutrition & dietetics, oncology, patient safety, pediatrics, pharmacology & pharmacy, point of care, psychiatry, public health, and surgery.

Audience

TDS Health (STAT!Ref) is appropriate for all staff.

System Requirements

Device Operating System Space Required
Apple iPhone/iPad iOS 12.0 or later 14.9 MB
Android 4.1 and up  

Connectivity

Download and Install

  1. Access STAT!Ref via the library's databases page
  2. For full installation instructions please refer to the STAT!Ref Mobile PDF document
  3. Download STAT!Ref from the App Store or from Google Play.
  1. Access STAT!Ref via the library's databases page
  2. Please consult the STAT!Ref Mobile instruction PDF document
  3. Create an account

How to Renew Your Account When Your Username and Password Expire

An expiration reminder email for users are sent 10 days, and then again 1 day, prior to expiration.

  1. Access STAT!Ref via the library's databases page
  2. Please consult the STAT!Ref Mobile instruction PDF document

STAT!Ref updates automatically. Manual content updates are not required.

How Do I Keep My Apps Up to Date?

Here is some general information on how to keep your apps up to date. Choose a device to learn more.

  1. Open the Google Play Store app
  2. In the top left corner, touch the menu icon next to the title "Play Store"
  3. Select "My apps & games"
  4. Select "Update All"
  1. Open the App Store app
  2. In the bottom left corner, select "Updates"
  3. From here you can update individual app or you can update all apps at once
  1. Touch the Blackberry World icon
  2. Swipe to the left to reveal the navigation menu
  3. Tap "My World" then select "My Apps & Games"
  4. Tap the overflow icon (...)
  5. Tap "Check for Updates"
  6. When the updates are complete you will receive an Update check complete message
  1. Press the Windows button
  2. Open the Windows Store app
  3. Activate the Charms bar. Touch the "Settings" charm
  4. Touch "App updates"
  5. Tap "Check for Updates". From this screen, you can also set your apps to automatically update