Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) has announced the launch of an iPad app for Lippincott's Nursing Procedures and Skills, the Web-based procedures reference product used by hospitals.

The new app augments a facility's existing Lippincott's Nursing Procedures and Skills database by offering immediate access to all of its content – including custom content – without the need to always have an Internet connection. This newly-created, untethered access also lends itself well to disaster recovery and home healthcare applications, according to a news release issued by LWW.

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“When Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast last October it became readily apparent to millions just how helpless we become when cell phones are out and the Internet is down,” LWW officials said. “Although this new app was not designed specifically for hurricane preparedness, it does make it possible for existing Lippincott's Nursing Procedures and Skills customers to gain access to their custom databases, even when no Internet connection is available.” 

Available immediately as a free iTunes download, the new app is only accessible to authorized users from institutions that currently subscribe to the online database, according to LWW officials. Upon entering a valid user name and password, the app downloads the user's facility-specific version of the database complete with all customized procedures as well as any critical notes that may have been added.

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"Customers love the fast, online access we provide to their nursing procedures but they also want something in place when their devices do not have access to the Internet," said Carolyn Dalton, senior digital product manager for Wolters Kluwer Health, LWW's parent company, in a statement. "The beauty of this app is the offline capability, which allows them to always have their facility-specific procedures accessible to their staff, and protects their access in disaster recovery and remote-use situations."