How the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 transformed computing for a nurse practitioner

Earlier this month, we covered a healthcare success story made possible thanks to Microsoft technology and Windows-powered hardware, and today, we have another one for you from Melissa DeCapua, a nurse practitioner who swears by the Surface Pro 3.

Melissa didn’t initially own the Surface Pro 3 when she started writing about Microsoft’s hybrid PC on her blog, although she did admit to spending “countless hours” using one at Best Buy. She claims that the device is perfect for nurses and nursing students and calls it a “laplet” because it has “the power of a laptop and the convenience of a tablet”. Melissa touches on how the stylus makes it extremely easy to take notes in an intuitive way, and how both the screen and Type Cover and sanitizable, which as you can imagine, is very important in her line of work.

“Don’t be fooled into thinking this thing is a dinky little iPad. It is likely more powerful than your outdated laptop or desktop. This is a full blown computer with Microsoft Office. It can do everything that a laptop, desktop, or tablet can already do. To me, this is literally the productivity king.” – Melissa

Melissa went into great depths discussing how she would use the Surface Pro 3, so Microsoft sent her one, in addition to the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station to help replace her desktop at home. She used the device to organize all her electronic textbooks – which for a nursing student includes enough books to fill up a library – except now, she doesn’t have to hog around a bunch of heavy books everywhere whenever she needed information. Her first-hand experience with the stylus lived up to its promise, especially when it came to doing homework.

“The SP3 has made submitting handwritten homework much easier. For example, in my bio-statistics course I have to solve multiple step math problems. Normally I would print out the assignment, solve the problems using pen and paper, scan my answers, and upload my homework. With the Surface pen, I can write directly on the tablet and easily send it to my professor. It saves a lot of time (and trees).” – Melissa

Software played a vital role for Melissa, from PowerPoint and OneNote, to apps from the Windows Store like Calibre and Drawboard, all of which make nursing life a lot more convenient. If you are a nursing student, or working in the healthcare industry, we encourage you to head over to Melissa’s blog for an in-depth look at how the Surface Pro 3 can fit you needs.

It is personal stories like this that get us excited about the real-life applications and true potential that the Surface Pro line of products can achieve. And now that we’ve had a look at the Surface 3, Microsoft is bringing many of these great capabilities to lower price points, making it more affordable for healthcare institutions and health professionals to take advantage of them. If you’re interested in healthcare and how Microsoft technology can benefit the industry, check out more of our related coverage here.