Our books are being offered as a package deal from the on-campus bookstore, at the tune of nearly $1100 including tax. The package is offered as an all or nothing deal, and many students didn't take kindly to this. Especially when they took the book list and started shopping Amazon. Most managed to save about $300 over the package price, which sounds significant. Except...
Remember that PDA I've been complaining about having to buy? Well, we are required to have a proprietary software package including six different clinical companions, like a drug reference, a nursing dx reference, etc. Sounds way cool. Unfortunately, it's going to cost the self-shoppers $240 to get this software--it's included in the bookstore package price. So overall, they've saved about $60, and that's nothing to sneeze at. Except...
The bookstore package price also includes all our books in e-format. Very handy--you can do one search and the software will compile articles from all your books on that topic. So, say you search for renal failure secondary to diabetes mellitus: From the patho book it pulls the pathology, from pharm the pertinent drugs, from assessment how to assess, associated nursing dx's etc. Pretty cool. But I get that not everyone appreciates that, and many just want their paper books, and again, $60 is $60. Except...
It turns out this e-book package includes ALL our books for this semester...and the next semester...and the two after that. So if one were comfortable reading e-books, these could be the last text books to buy. Sounds like a great deal to me. Except...
Now an outside competitor to the on-campus bookstore is offering the exact same package, with a $100-off coupon. And free shipping on phone orders.
Now where did I put my phone...
September 6
2 months ago
Definite sticker shock at first, but if it is for books that go into other semesters than it is probably worth it. The coupon deal=even better!
ReplyDeleteI think I need to ask why we don't use PDAs in our program...
That's a lot of money to have to come up with all in one shot!
ReplyDeleteI've been writing about textbook prices this week also ... nursing is definitely one of the fields with stinking stOOpid prices, that's for sure.
That sounds like an aweosme technological package. Part of me is jealous, I kind of want it. lol
ReplyDeleteI have been scoping out Nursing software for the PDA.
Wow,Im jealous. I want E books damnit!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the debacle has been resolved!! I'm jealous of the ebooks. I say the computer shortcuts in my head as I'm looking up topics in the indexes. Good luck, I know you're going to kick ass in nursing school. I guess it's a little late to say this but I really think you'd thrive in an accelerated program. You're like my dad, and I say that as a major compliment because you are both REALLY FREAKIN smart and just seemingly capable of anything!!! No pressure, but my faith in society dies if you don't succeed :)
ReplyDeleteWow, glad you found a better deal and sounds like you are going to have a cool gadget! :)
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