Computer and Software System

- A nurse informaticist provides information about new workflows, guides new

technology and process implementation, and assesses data quality, giving care teams
the best chance of optimal care delivery.
 NURSING INFORMATICS SPECIALIST
 CLINICAL ANALYST
 INFORMATICS CONSULTANT
 CLINICAL APPLICATIONS SPECIALIST
 NURSE EDUCATOR/ INSTRUCTOR
 DIRECTOR/MANAGER/CHIEF NURSE OFFICER
Computer Software
 A collective term in information technology used to describe the function or the
contribution of the sets of commands, procedures in the computer system.
 It is a set of instructions with step-by-step algorithm that directs the computer
hardware to perform specific task.
 The computer software executes commands depending on the direction of the
user or programmer.
 Simply, computer software is anything that is not hardware.
 Hardware consists of physical component embedded or parts in the computer
system whereas software consists of a specific machine language specific that
consists of groups of binary numbers, not English or tagalog nor any human
language.
 One has to understand that computer cannot directly understand human
language; you have to translate it to a higher language compatible with the
machine language.
 Software also includes the television, video games, logic implemented in the
electronic health record, computerized order entry system, Hospital information
system, etc, data processing and reporting and communication.
Types of Software
1. System software is just the basic computer software that commands the
computer hardware and computer system to perform specific task, it includes that
following components, Basic input and output system, operating system,
machine servers, utility programs and windows. There is already a direct and
simple execution of commands because of the systems software. The user can
perform reading, printing, accessing, displaying a certain data and information
because the system software already provides you to do so.
2. Programming software provides tools to assist a programmer in writing
commands or codes using different programming languages in a more
convenient way. Other computer platform enables the programmer to record
 commands and executes when the program are triggered. The tools necessary
for programming are debuggers, interpreter, compiler, etc.
3. Application software is compiled readily executable program that can be used in
different application such as in Electronic Health Record, Clinical Information
System, Pharmacy Information System, Hospital Information System, Healthcare
Information System, etc. Other application software which performs specific
functions also includes industrial automation, computer games, commercial
software, telecommunications, database, education software, etc
Application Software Useful to Nurse
One specific role of application software is data transformation to information.
This benefits the nursing from doing a manual preparation of reports and
documents. Due to readily available information, they will have more time
synthesizing and analyzing the information. This informative information is also very
relevant to the other department as well as the management. Using the :
 Nursing Informatics
 Program GUI (Graphical User Interface)
 EPIC SYSTEMS HOSPITAL
 CERNER COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
 MEDITECH EHR SOFTWARE
Software
It is the information that the computer uses to get the job done. Software needs
to be accessed before it can be used. There are many terms used for process of
accessing software including running, executing, starting up, opening, and others.
Computer programs allow users to complete tasks. A program can also be referred to
as an application and the two words are used interchangeably.
Examples of software programs or applications:
 Operating Systems
 DOS
 Windows 9/Millenium/XP
 UNIX
 Word Processors
 Typing letters
 Spreadsheet
 Financial info
 Database
 Financial record
 Graphics program
 Graphical User Interface (GUI)
  Internet Browser
 As well any document that you create, graphic you design, sound you compose,
file you make, letter you write, email you send or anything that you create on your
computer is referred to as software. All software is stored in files.
Basic Types of Software
1. COMMERCIAL
 Sold for a profit
 Licenses prevents making copies of the software
 The source code cannot be processed
 The program cannot be changed
2. SHAREWARE
 Distributed for free
 Free to use for a period of time
3. OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE
 People can use and edit as they please
 Users are encouraged to distribute their delivered product
Computer Networks
Is a group of interconnected computer systems. A computer network is an
interconnection of various computer systems located at different places. In computer
network two or more computers are linked together with a medium and data
communication devices for the purpose of communicating data and sharing resources.
Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics, which are
categorized according to the basic components of a network.
Types of Computer networks:
a) Personal area networks (PAN) is a computer network used for communication
among computer devices close to person such the computer systems at hospital
departments (pharmacy, laboratory, nursing, etc.) examples of such devices
includes printers, fax machines, telephones, PDA and scanners.
b) Local area networks (LAN) are a computer network covering small physical area
such as hospitals and inter department computer systems. Current wired LANS
are most likely to be based on Ethernet technology.
c) A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that connects two or more local
area networks but does not extend beyond the boundaries of the immediate
town/city.
d) A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad area.
WAN is a network that uses routers and public communications links. The largest
and most well-known example of a WAN network is the Internet. A WAN is a data
communications network that covers a relatively broad geographic area and that
 often uses transmission facilities provided by common carriers, such as
telephone companies.
Network Technology
Network Topology in the context of communication network refers to the way the
computers or workstations in the network are linked together. According to the
physical arrangements of workstations and nature of work, there are three major
types of network typology.
Types of Network Typology
 Star Typology - a number of workstations are directly linked to a central station
called node. Any communication between stations on a star LAN must pass
through the central node.
 Bus typology - all workstations are connected to a single communication line
called bus. In this type of network typology there is no central work stations as
compared in star typology. Transmission from any station travels the length of
the bus in both directions and can be received by all workstations.
 Ring typology - each station is attached nearby stations on a point-to-point basis
so that the entire system is in the form of a ring. In this typology data is
transmitted in one direction only. Thus, the data packets circulate along the ring
either clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. The advantage of this typology is that
any signal transmitted on the network passes through all the LAN stations. The
disadvantage of ring network is that the breakdown of any one station on the ring
can disable the entire system.
RELIABLE SEARCH ENGINES AND DATABASES
 Early search engines used the presence of key words to return results.
 There are also specialized search engines that will assist you in locating such
things as e-mail addresses, regular and Web addresses for business, and even a
map and driving directions from one location to another.
 The search engines also differ in how they request input to narrow or expand
searches.
 The fact that it is simple for anyone to publish on the Web, and that many search
engines are not discriminatory in selecting their databases, makes it important to
all users on the Net to carefully evaluate information found.
 Web site users should be wise and to be cautious and not automatically trust
every source.
Some popular search engines and their addresses are the following:
1. Altavista
2. Yahoo!
 3. Google
4. [Link]
5. Go2net is another Web crawler. URL: http:/[Link]/[Link].
Nurses should be aware of the importance of evaluating healthcare information for their
own use as well as for helping patients interpret for their own use as well as fpr helping
patients interpret what they find.
Criteria for assessing the quality of health information on the internet:
1. Credibility—What is the source of the information: how current is it: is it useful
and relevant; what was the process for editorial review?
2. Content – To help judge accuracy, examine the hierarchy of evidence, presence
of original sources. Are disclaimers provided?
3. Disclosure –What is the purpose of the site; who is sponsoring it, and what will
the site owners will do with any information that they collect?
4. Links – What is the quality of the links provided?
5. Design– is the site accessible, easy to navigate, and searchable?
6. Interactivity– Does the site allow for feedback and an exchange of information?
7. Caveats– Does the site clearly state its function? Is its purpose primarily
information or its trying to see products and/or services?
Health on the Net (HON) Foundation - The HON foundation reviews Web sites for the
adherence to these standards. It also conducts worldwide surveys of Internet use
related to health (Health on the Net Foundation, 2004).
Utilization, Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) - also published standards for
health web sites. One of its program accreditations is the Web site accreditation, which
uses over 50 quality standards by which to evaluate sites.
Health Internet Ethics, known as Hi-Ethics. Inc. - is an organization concerned with the
privacy, security, credibility, and reliability of health information available on the internet.
The National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) - is sponsored by AHRQ. Their
Web site provides access to a large number of evidence based quality measures and
measure sets as well as recommendations for sites with quality information for
healthcare professionals, providers, policy makers, and consumers.
DATA COLLECTION AND STATISTICAL TOOLS
ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRES
 Surveys and questionnaires, traditionally administered in paper-and-pencil forms,
can be programmed into a computer application either in a microcomputer or on
We site accessed through the internet. Responses to questions can be entered
by the respondent or a surrogate directly into the computer or Web site through
internet access.
General Web-design software such as Microsoft Frontpage and customized Java script
programming - allows using database interface for the extraction of Web based data to
transform multiple steps that would otherwise be part of data capture, data extraction,
and data cleaning into an automated and accurate single step process. The data from
the internet can then be downloaded for analysis.
Group use applications have been used in nursing research that can facilitate large
group data capture. Group use applications in specially designed facilities have been
developed to engage in audience in simultaneous activity. Recording their impressions
through electronic keypads located proximal to the users, and capturing that information
for display or later analysis.
Applications:
1. Team Expert Choice
Software packages also exist that can be integrated with the researcher’s scanner to
optically scan specially designed questionnaire and produce the subject’s responses in
a database ready for analysis.
1. OmniPage
2. Remark office or Remark classic
3. Remark Web survey
An online poll is a survey in which participants communicate responses via the
Internet, typically by completing a questionnaire in a web page. Online polls may allow
anyone to participate, or they may be restricted to a sample drawn from a larger panel.
SVMK Inc., doing business as SurveyMonkey, is an online survey development
cloud-based software as a service company. It was founded in 1999 by Ryan Finley and
Chris Finley. The company provides surveys, and a suite of paid back-end programs.
The company went public in September 2018
Data processing - Manipulation of data by a computer. It includes the conversion of
raw data to machine-readable form, flow of data through the CPU and memory to output
devices, and formatting or transformation of output. Any use of computers to perform
defined operations on data can be included under data processing.
Excel - is a powerful tool to process and analyze business data. To unleash that power,
you need to learn not only those individual Excel functions, but also learn how to
combine functions together logically to create nested formulas to solve complex
problems.
SPSS (Statistical package for the social sciences) - is the set of software programs that
are combined together in a single package. The basic application of this program is to
analyze scientific data related with the social science
SAS - reads a data record from a raw data file into the input buffer, or it reads an
observation from a SAS data set directly into the program data vector. You can use an
INPUT, MERGE, SET, MODIFY, or UPDATE statement to read a record. SAS executes
any subsequent programming statements for the current record.
In vivo coding - is the practice of assigning a label to a section of data, such as an
interview transcript, using a word or short phrase taken from that section of the data. As
such, in vivo coding is associated with the earlier stages of coding one's data when
concepts or categories are being identified or developed.
In vivo coding is a form of qualitative data analysis that places emphasis on the actual
spoken words of the participants. This form of coding can be especially helpful when
researchers interact with participants from a particular culture or microculture to help
highlight how those participants use specific words or phrases in their interactions that
might not otherwise be understood when using other forms of coding. In vivo coding is
championed by many for its usefulness in highlighting the voices of participants and for
its reliance on the participants themselves for giving meaning to the data.