Module 1 NCM 110 Nursing Information Lab
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Computer
- An electronic device, operating under the control of
instructions stored in its own memory that can
accept data (input), process the data according to
specified rules, produce information (output), and
store the information for future use.
 Functionalities of a Computer
- Takes data as input
- Stores the data/instructions in its memory and
use them as required
- Process the data and converts it into useful
information
- Generates the output
- Controls all of the above four steps
 Basic Computer Components
 Hardware
- Collection of physical elements that
constitutes a computer system.
 Input devices
- Any peripheral (piece of computer
hardware equipment to provide data and
control signals to an information
processing system such as a computer or
other information appliance.
Ex: keyboard, mouse, joystick, mic, web
camera, touch pad, touch screen, fingerprint
reader, barcode reader
 Central Processing Unit
- Brain of a computer.
- Compromised of three main parts
o Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) – executes
all arithmetic and logical operations
o Control Unit (CU) – controls and co-
ordinates computer components
o Registers – stores the data that is to be
executed next, “very fast storage area.
 Storage – holds data, instructions and information
for future use.
Primary Storage
- RAM (Random Access Memory)
o Memory scheme within the computer
system responsible for storing data on a
temporary basis, so that it can be
promptly accessed by the processor as
and when needed.
- ROM (Read Only Memory)
o Permanent form of storage
Secondary Storage
- Stores data and programs permanently.
- Its retained after the power is turned off.
Ex: Memory card reader, USB Flash memory,
External Optical Drives, ZIP drives, Media
devices
 Output Devices
- Any piece of computer hardware equipment used
to communicate the results of data processing
carried out by an information processing system
(such as a computer) which converts the
electronically generated information into human-
readable form
Ex: Webcam, microphone, printer, headphone,
monitor, speakers
 Software
- Types of software:
1. System software
o Responsible for controlling, integrating, and
managing the individual hardware components
of a computer system so that other software
and the users of the system see it as a
functional unit without having to be concerned
with the low-level details such as transferring
data from memory to disk, or rendering text
onto a display.
o Ex: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Windows XP
Module 1 NCM 110 Nursing Information Lab

2. Application Software  Disadvantages of Using Computers

o Programs designed to make users more - Violation of Privacy
productive and/or assist them with personal - Public Safety
tasks - Impact on Labor Force
o Used to accomplish specific tasks other than - Health Risk
just running the computer system - Impact on Environment
o Small collection programs Often called
software package  Examples of Computer Usage
o Large collection programs Often called What software is available for a home user?
software suite. - Personal finance management
o Ex: Gmail, Google Docs, Microsoft Office - Web access
- Communications
- Entertainment

What software is available for a small office/home

office (SOHO) user?
- Productivity software
- Specialty software
- Web usage
How is software distributed? - E-mail
o Packaged software, mass-produced
o Custom software, performs functions specific  Elements of an Information System
to a business or industry What are information system elements?
o Web-based software, hosted by a Web site - Hardware
o Open source software, provided for use, - Software
modification, and redistribution - Data
o Shareware, copyrighted software that is - People
distributed free for trial period - Procedures
o Freeware, copyrighted software provided at no
cost
o Public-domain software, freeware with no
copyright restrictions

 Classification of Computers

 Personal Computer
- A small, single-user computer based on a
microprocessor.
 Workstation
- A powerful, single-user computer
 Mainframe
- A powerful multi-user computer capable of
supporting many hundreds or thousands of users
simultaneously.
 Supercomputer NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET
- An extremely fast computer that can perform - A network is a collection of computers and devices
hundreds of millions of instructions per second. connected together, often wirelessly, via
 Other classifcations: communications devices and transmission media
- Laptop, tablets, mobile phones o Local area network (LAN)
o Wide area network (WAN)
 Advantages of Using Computers - The world’s largest network is the Internet, which
- Speed is a worldwide collection of networks that connects
- Storage millions of businesses, government agencies,
- Reliabity educational institutions, and individuals
- Consistency o Internet service provider (ISP)
- Communications o Online service provider (OSP)
o Wireless Internet service provider (WISP)
Module 1 NCM 110 Nursing Information Lab
- The World Wide Web contains billions of
documents called Web pages
o Web page
o Web site
o Web browser
o Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
o Hypertext transfer protocol
- Why do users access the Internet?
o Commincations
o Research and Information
o Shopping
o Banking and Investing
o Classes
o Entertainment
o Download Music
o Share Information
 Computers “Nursing Perspective”
- In nursing computers are synonymous to
nursing information system (NIS).
- Computers are used to manage information in
patient care, monitor quality of nursing care
and evaluate care outcomes
- Networks with internet are used in
communicating and accessing resources and
interacting w/ the patient on the (WWW).
HISTORY
Computing aid that people invented
1. Abacus – the first computing aid that were used to
help them in their computation.
2. Napier’s Bone – an abacus created by John
Napier for calculation of products and quotients of
numbers that was based on Arab mathematics and
lattice multiplication used by Fibonacci writing in
the Liber Abaci.
3. Slide Ruler – used primarily for multiplication and
division, and also for "scientific" functions such as
roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but is not
normally used for addition or subtraction.
4. Calculating Clock/Schickard Calculator – consisted
of a six-digit machine that could add or subtract.
Developed by Wilhelm Schickard on 1623 in
Tübingen, Württemberg, Germany
5. Pascaline – the first calculator or adding machine
to be produced in any quantity and actually used.
Designed and built by the French mathematician &
philosopher Blaise Pascal between 1642 and 1644
6. Step Reckoner – the first calculator that could
perform all four arithmetic operations: addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division. Invented by
German mathematician and philosopher Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz around 1672 and completed 1694\
7. Difference Engine – an automatic, mechanical
calculator designed to tabulate polynomial
functions. By 1822 the English mathematician
Charles Babbage who is considered as Father of
the Computer today was proposing a steam driven
calculating machine the size of a room
8. Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine – the electro-
mechanical tabulator. On the tabulator's desk to
the right is a press-like device which would bring
an array of pins into contact with a punch card.
9. Mark 1 – the first large-scale automatic digital
computer in the USA by Howard H. Aiken, built at
IBM and shipped to Harvard in February 1944.
10. Apple 1 – an early personal computer. They were
designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak
11. PDP-12 – a 12-bit machine introduced in 1969.
Applications included applied psychology,
chemistry, patient monitoring, and industrial
testing.
12. IBM Personal Computer – the original version and
progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware
platform.
 Evolution of Computers
1. First Generation Computers
- Use of vacuum tubes
- Big & Clumsy
- High Electricity Consumption
- Programming in Mechanical Language
- Larger AC were needed
- Lot of electricity failure occurred
2. Second Generation Computers
- Transistors were used
- Core Memory was developed
- Faster than First Generation computers
- First Operating System was developed
- Programming was in Machine Language &
Assembly Language
- Magnetic tapes & discs were used
- Computers became smaller in size than the First-
Generation computers
- Computers consumed less heat & consumed less
electricity
Module 1 NCM 110 Nursing Information Lab

3. Third Generation Computers

- Integrated circuits developed
- Power consumption was low
- SSI & MSI Technology was used
- High level languages were used

4. Fourth Generation Computers

- LSI & VLSI Technology used
- Development of Portable Computers
- RAID Technology of data storage
- Used in virtual reality, multimedia, simulation
- Computers started in use for Data Communication
- Different types of memories with very high
accessing speed & storage capacity

5. Fifth Generation Computers

- Used in parallel processing.
- Uses superconductors
- Used in speech recognition
- Used in intelligent robots
- Used in artificial intelligence