Comparison

Nurse's Pocket Guide vs Nursing Diagnosis Reference

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Nurse's Pocket Guide

This app assists nurses in creating accurate nursing diagnoses and care plans. It provides detailed information for over 400 medical conditions, including definitions, interventions, and documentation guidelines. Users can also search by patient symptom to find related diagnoses.

Highlights
  • 400+ medical conditions with nursing diagnoses
  • NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model updates
  • NANDA-I and ICNP diagnoses
  • Prioritized actions/interventions with rationales
  • Care plan guides
  • NIC and NOC labels
  • Full text search
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Make accurate nursing diagnoses and develop effective care plans with this comprehensive app. Each diagnosis listing includes a definition, related factors, defining characteristics, prioritized actions/interventions, NIC/NOC classifications, and documentation guidelines. Or, choose by patient symptom and link directly to associated nursing diagnoses. Features of Nurse’s Pocket Guide include: • 400+ medical conditions with associated nursing diagnoses • NEW! Each diagnosis updated to incorporate the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM) terminology • NEW! Completely up to date with diagnoses from the latest NANDA-I and ICNP (International Classification for Nursing Practice), broadening students’ understanding of the standardized nursing languages they’ll encounter throughout their careers. • Defining characteristics presented subjectively and objectively • Actions/Interventions organized by nursing priority with rationales. • Care plan guides • Icons for cultural, collaborative, community/home care, diagnostic studies, pediatric/geriatric/lifespan, and medications • NIC and NOC labels for each diagnosis • Full Text Search helps you find topics quickly • Highlight and make notes within any entry • “Favorites” for bookmarking important entries • Personalize your app with highlights and notes Authors: Marilynn E. Doenges, APRN, BC; Mary Francis Moorhouse, RN, MSN, CRRN, LNC Publisher: F.A. Davis Powered by: Unbound Medicine

About

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

This medical reference app provides evidence-based nursing diagnoses, interventions, and rationales for various clinical scenarios. It's designed for students and practicing nurses to streamline care planning and improve patient outcomes with up-to-date NANDA-I classifications.

Highlights
  • Evidence-based diagnoses
  • Interventions and rationales
  • Updated NANDA-I classifications
  • Quick reference format
  • Alphabetized monographs
  • Quality and Safety Education for Nurses criteria
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. In-App purchase required to unlock all content. Streamline patient care with the Nursing Diagnosis Reference Manual, 12th Edition! This essential guide offers clear, evidence-based diagnoses, interventions, and rationales for every clinical scenario. Perfect for students and practicing nurses, it’s a quick-reference must-have for accurate care planning and improved outcomes. Clearly written, logically organized, and updated to reflect the 2021-2023 NANDA-I definitions and classifications, Nursing Diagnosis Reference Manual, 12th Edition, delivers fast, easy access to essential information and instills the confidence students need to successfully apply diagnoses in a wide variety of clinical settings. This enhanced, thoroughly revised edition leverages the nursing process to guide students through 267 comprehensive monographs for NANDA-I-approved nursing diagnoses. Each standalone monograph is alphabetized for quick reference and written and reviewed by leaders throughout the field of nursing, making it easier than ever to access reliable, up-to-date nursing diagnosis information, related factors, and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses criteria for patient-centered care or safe practice. Content licensed from printed ISBN-13: 9781975201609 Content licensed from printed ISBN-10: 1975201604 If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Author(s): Linda Phelps DNP, RN Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health

Screenshots

Nurse's Pocket Guide4 screens
Nursing Diagnosis Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Nurse's Pocket Guide at none against Nursing Diagnosis Reference's shown. Nurse's Pocket Guide also leads on chart position (#181 vs unranked) and ratings volume (179 vs 28). Nursing Diagnosis Reference's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Nurse's Pocket Guide sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Nursing Diagnosis Reference sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $30.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nurse's Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nurse's Pocket Guide has 179 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nurse's Pocket Guide ships an update every 9 months, Nursing Diagnosis Reference every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Nurse's Pocket Guide versus Nursing Diagnosis Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNurse's Pocket GuideNursing Diagnosis Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (179 ratings) — better4.4 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings179 — better28
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 7 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#181 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB149 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Skyscape Medpresso Inc

Customer experience

Nurse's Pocket Guide

All ratings179 ratings
Positive87.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative10.1%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative40.9%

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

All ratings28 ratings
Positive82.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Nurse's Pocket Guide

One-time2
  • Nurse's Pocket Guide$49.99
  • Nurse's Pocket Guide$59.99
4 purchases

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

Subscriptions3
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 3M sub$30.993 Months
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 6M sub$40.996 Months
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 1/Y sub$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Nursing Diagnosis Reference$79.99

Questions

Is Nurse's Pocket Guide free?
Nurse's Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nursing Diagnosis Reference free?
Nursing Diagnosis Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Nurse's Pocket Guide or Nursing Diagnosis Reference?
Nurse's Pocket Guide is rated higher. Nurse's Pocket Guide averages 4.5 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while Nursing Diagnosis Reference averages 4.4 from 28 ratings.
Do Nurse's Pocket Guide or Nursing Diagnosis Reference have ads?
Nursing Diagnosis Reference shows ads; Nurse's Pocket Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, Nurse's Pocket Guide or Nursing Diagnosis Reference?
Nurse's Pocket Guide ships an update every 9 months, and Nursing Diagnosis Reference every 7 months. Most recently, Nurse's Pocket Guide was updated on November 6, 2026 and Nursing Diagnosis Reference on November 2, 2026.

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