NCM 110: INFORMATICS NURSING

MANAGEMENT

KARITSAKESIAH Arceo, ukrn, haad rn/sn, rn

Course Instructor
 Computer Basics
Computer - is a machine that uses electronic components and instructions to the components to perform
calculations and repetitive and complex procedures, process text, and manipulate data and signals.

Devices attached or linked to a computer that is

Computer Hardware - is defined as all of the physical
peripheral to (outside) the main computer box are part
components of a computer.
of the system’s hardware.

MONITOR KEYBOARD

PRINTER MOUSE

SCANNER
Computer Basics
 Computer Basics
The basic hardware of a computer composes the
computer’s architecture, and includes the:
● Electronic circuits
● Microchips
● Processors
● Random access memory (RAM),
● Read-only memory (ROM),
● the BIOS chip, and graphic and sound cards.
These are attached to a component called a
motherboard.
Devices that may be inside the computer case but are
not part of the architecture include the:
Main storage device (internal hard drive) -
a large capacity storage disk.
Optical drive - internal drive that can read
optical discs using a laser (a narrow beam
of light)
Cooling system (including heatsinks and
fans) - a device in a computer, mobile
phone, etc. that absorbs heat so that
important parts do not get too hot and stop
working.

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Modem - any of a class of electronic devices that
connectors - a part of a computer to
convert digital data signals into modulated analog
which extra devices such as printers,
signals suitable for transmission over analog
scanners, and digital cameras can be
telecommunications circuits.
connected easily.

https://computer.howstuffworks.com/23-computer-tour-video.htm
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Motherboard
The heart of any computer.

A thin plastic rectangle onto which thin metal threads or

lines are printed. These lines are called circuits.

These circuits allow various essential components

of the computer to communicate electronically as
electric impulses travel from component to
component along the circuits.
 Motherboard
The computer was introduced into healthcare facilities
in the early 1960s for the processing of basic
administrative tasks.

Computer revolution in healthcare began and led

to today’s healthcare information technology
(HIT) and/or electronic health record (EHR)
systems.

Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) is an all-encompassing term

referring to technology that captures, processes, and generates healthcare
information.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Bioschip
BIOS stands for basic input/output system.

The BIOS itself is a computer program stored on a

nonvolatile memory chip on the motherboard, and is
called the BIOS chip.

This chip controls several essential operations of a

computer, including start-up, performing a self-test of the
system to ensure the operating system can function, and
communication with input and output devices.

If it malfunctions, the computer will not even “start

up” so that the user can enter commands.

It might show some kinds of error messages, but the computer will not function because the BIOS is what loads
the operating system, and without the operating system, the computer doesn’t function at all.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Memory
Refers to the electronic storage devices or chips
on the motherboard of a computer.

There are three key types of memory in a computer:

● Random Access Memory (RAM)

● Read-Only Memory (ROM)
● Cache

RAM
★ Also known as the main memory, refers to working memory used for primary storage.
★ Is a type of volatile memory chip on the motherboard used for temporary storage of data and
commands needed by the CPU and other processors to do their work.
★ Information in RAM disappears when the computer is turned off.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
ROM
Is a form of permanent storage in the computer.

ROM generally contains the programs used by the

control unit of the CPU to oversee computer
functions.

ROM storage is never erased.

CACHE
Keeping information that will be used frequently in cache
greatly reduces the amount of time needed to move data
around among the memory locations.
Is a smaller form of RAM.
It is a relatively inexpensive way to increase
Its purpose is to speed up processing by storing the speed of the computer.
frequently called (used) data and commands in a small,
rapid access memory location.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Input & Output
To do work, the computer must have a way of
receiving commands and data from the outside and
a way of reporting out its work.

Input and output devices are wired to a controller

that is plugged into the slots or circuit boards of the
computer.

Input devices
These devices allow the computer to receive
information from the outside world.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Input & Output Output devices
Some devices can serve as both input and output These devices allow the computer to report its
devices to receive and store information as well as results to the external world.
send their programs to the computer itself.
Output can be in the form of text, data files, sound,
A touch screen is actually both an input and output graphics, or signals to other devices.
device combined.

Users input
information into the
computer and the
touch screen
displays information
back to the user, just
as does any
computer monitor.
 HEALTHCARE
Input
In healthcare computing, many medical devices
serve as input devices. For example:

The electrodes placed on a patient’s body provide input

into the computerized physiologic monitors.

The oximetry device placed on a patient’s finger uses

light waves to detect impulses which are sent to a
computer and then interpreted as oxygen levels in the
blood.

The most advanced imaging machines, such as

computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans and medical
resonance imaging (MRI) machines, could not exist
without computer technology.
HEALTHCARE
Output
In healthcare settings, a variety of medical devices
serve as output devices.

Heart monitors are output devices recording and

displaying heart rhythm patterns and initiating alarms
when certain conditions are met.

Volumetric infusion pump outputs includes both

fluids infused into the patient’s body and images
displayed on a screen.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Storage Media HARD DRIVE
Storage includes the main memory but also external
devices on which programs and data are stored.

The most common storage device is the computer’s hard

drive.

The hard drive is the main storage device of many

personal computers and is typically inside the case or
box that houses other internal hardware.

Internal hard drives are not portable; they are

plugged directly into the motherboard.

In 1990 the PCs had about 500 megabytes (MB) capacity;

In 2014, most personal computers (PCs) were sold with between 500 gigabytes (GB) and up to about a
terabyte of storage.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Storage Media NOTE:
Other common media include external hard drives, flash
drives, and read/write digital versatile disks (DVDs), and
compact disks (CDs). ★ Flash drives are not really used in clinical
settings, at least not for business or patient

USB FLASH DRIVE

care purposes.

★ Nurses should not save confidential patient or

A USB flash drive is
actually a form of a small,
erasable, programmable,
read-only memory
(EPROM),
company information onto their personal flash
drive (or any other personal storage devices).
★ There is a danger that these devices can end
up being used to compromise patient or
company confidentiality.

It functions a bit like a removable hard drive that is

inserted into the USB port of the computer.
 REQUIRED HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
OPTICAL MEDIA CLOUD STORAGE
Optical media include compact disks, digital versatile
disks, and Blu-Ray.

★ Is an extension of the online storage

CD-ROMs and DVDs are rigid disks that hold a
higher density of information and have higher speed.
service offered by individual vendors.
★ Cloud storage is far more secure
and reliable than a personal hard
drive or backup drives.
 MAJOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS
Supercomputers ★ The largest type of computer.

★ A supercomputer is a
computational-oriented computer
specially designed for scientific
applications requiring a gigantic
amount of calculations.

Supercomputers are used

primarily in such work as:

★ Defense and weaponry

★ Weather forecasting
★ Advanced engineering and
physics
★ Other mathematically
intensive scientific research
applications.
 MAJOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS
MAINFRAME
★ The mainframe computer is the most
common fast, large, and expensive type
of computer used in large businesses
(including hospitals and other large
healthcare facilities) for processing,
storing, and retrieving data.

★ Virtually all large and medium-sized

hospitals (300 beds and up) rely on
mainframe computers to handle their
business office operations.

In hospitals, mainframe computers are often used to support the entire Hospital Information Technology (HIT)
system, also known as the Hospital Information System (HIS.

They may have the hospital’s electronic medical record (EMR) on that computer as well.
 MAJOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS
Microcomputers (personal computers / PC)
While mainframe computers provide critical service to the healthcare
Computers designed to support a single
industry, much smaller computers are also an essential part of
healthcare computing systems.
user are called microcomputers or
personal computers (PCs).

Hospital nursing departments use PCs

to process specific applications such as
patient classification, nurse staffing and
scheduling, and personnel
management applications.

Microcomputers are also

available as portable or laptop
computers, notebooks, tablets,
and handheld computers.
 MAJOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS
COMPUTER ON WHEELS
Desktop and laptop computer systems with wireless
connectivity to the hospital’s computer network are often
placed on a rolling cart for use of the nursing staff in:

★ Recording nursing notes

★ Ordering tests and treatments
★ Looking up medications, and
★ Other computer work in inpatient and clinic settings.

These computers on carts are often referred to as

“WOWs” for workstation on wheels, or “CABs” for
computer at bedsides.
 MAJOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS
HANDHELD COMPUTERS
★ Handheld computers are small, special function
computers.

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are the smallest of

the handheld computers.

Functions:

● Calendar
● Contacts
● Note taking
● Word processing, spreadsheet, etc
 CONCLUSION
★ The computer is generally described in terms of
several major characteristics of its hardware.
★ The speed is determined by how many cycles per
second can be processed, the size of its main
memory, its cache, and its hard drive.
★ All these factors combine to determine how many
programs and data can be permanently stored on
the hard drive and how fast the computer can run
programs.
In turn, these factors determine what kinds of work
the user can do with the computer.
★ The physical components of the computer itself
and its peripheral hardware constitute the
architecture of the computer, and these factors
questions:
References:
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2023, January 9). Internet. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 30, 2023
https://www.britannica.com/

Saba, V. K., & McCormick, K. A. (2021). Essentials of Nursing Informatics (7th ed.). McGraw Hill.

Sewell, J. (2016). Informatics and Nursing: Opportunities and Challenges (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.