UNIT 3: Computer Usage for Nurse Informaticists

Chapter 4: Introduction to Software (Week 6)

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

At the end of the chapter, you are expected to:

1. discuss the the computer software;

2. explain how the computer software works for nursing
informatics; and
3. apply the use of computer software in nursing practice.

Introduction

Computer software is anything that can be stored electronically. The

term is used to contrast with computer hardware (the physical objects);
unlike hardware, software cannot be touched. Hardware and software
require each other and neither has any value without the other. With
this, the nurses will be trained and equipped with knowledge in using
computers.
Please proceed immediately to the “Unlocking of Difficulties” part
since the first lesson is also definition of essential terms.

Unlocking of Difficulties

 Peripherals – it is an auxiliary device used to put information into

and get information out of the computer.
 Input – it is to put (data) into a computer.
 Data – it is the quantities, characters, or symbols on which
operations are performed by a computer, being stored and
transmitted in the form of electrical signals and recorded on
magnetic, optical, or mechanical recording media.
 Output – it is produce, deliver, or supply (data) using a computer
or other device.

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  Operating System – it is a system software that manages
computer hardware, software resources, and provides common
services for computer programs.

 Compilers – it is special program that processes statements

written in a particular programming language and turns them into
machine language or "code" that a computer's processor uses.
Lecture Notes

COMPUTERS

 Computer is an advanced electronic device that takes raw

data as an input from the user and processes it under the
control of a set of instructions (called program), produces a
result (output), and saves it for future use. This tutorial
explains the foundational concepts of computer hardware,
software, operating systems, peripherals, etc. along with how
to get the most value and impact from computer technology.

https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/roundups/03yEDeTzPo1WxOu5QGWq9Zq-
16..1598476026.jpg

 Today’s world is an information-rich world and it has become

a necessity for everyone to know about computers. A
computer is an electronic data processing device, which
accepts and stores data input, processes the data input, and
generates the output in a required format.
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 Functionalities of a Computer
If we look at it in a very broad sense, any digital computer
carries out the following five functions:
 Step 1 − Takes data as input.
 Step 2 − Stores the data/instructions in its memory and uses
them as required.clinical decision support, and computerized
practitioner order entry.
 Step 3 − Processes the data and converts it into useful
information.
 Step 4 − Generates the output.
 Step 5 − Controls all the above four steps.

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/computer_fundamentals/computer_overview.htm

COMPUTER HARWARE

Software and computers cannot work without a Hardware,

because it represents the physical and tangible components
of a computer, i.e. the components that can be seen and
touched.

Examples of Hardware are the following:

 Input devices − keyboard, mouse, etc.
 Output devices − printer, monitor, etc.
 Secondary storage devices − Hard disk, CD, DVD, etc.
 Internal components − CPU, motherboard, RAM, etc.

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 https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/top-suppliers/computer-hardware-companies/
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HARWARE AND SOFTWARE

 Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each

other. Both of them must work together to make a computer
produce a useful output.
 Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.
 Hardware without a set of programs to operate upon cannot
be utilized and is useless.
 Internal components − CPU, motherboard, RAM, etc.
 To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant
software should be loaded into the hardware.
 Hardware is a one-time expense.
 Software development is very expensive and is a continuing
expense.
 Different software applications can be loaded on a hardware
to run different jobs.
 A software acts as an interface between the user and the
hardware.
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  If the hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then the
software is its 'soul'. Both are complementary to each other.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a

well-defined function. A program is a sequence of
instructions written to solve a particular problem.

There are two types of software:

 System Software
 Application Software

System Software

The system software is a collection of programs designed to

operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of
the computer itself. System software is generally prepared by
the computer manufacturers. These software products
comprise of programs written in low-level languages, which
interact with the hardware at a very basic level. System
software serves as the interface between the hardware and
the end users.

Some examples of system software are Operating System,

Compilers, Interpreter, Assemblers, etc.

Here is a list of some of the most prominent features of a

system software:
 Close to the system
 Fast in speed
 Difficult to design
 Difficult to understand
 Less interactive
 Smaller in size
 Difficult to manipulate
 Generally written in low-level language

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 SOME EXAMPLES OF SYSTEM SOFTWARES
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/top-suppliers/computer-hardware-
companies/

Application Software

Application software products are designed to satisfy a

particular need of a particular environment. All software
applications prepared in the computer lab can come under
the category of Application software.

Application software may consist of a single program, such as

Microsoft's notepad for writing and editing a simple text. It
may also consist of a collection of programs, often called a
software package, which work together to accomplish a task,
such as a spreadsheet package.

Examples of Application software are the following:

 Electronic Health Records (Important)
 Payroll Software
 Student Record Software
 Inventory Management Software

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  Income Tax Software
 Railways Reservation Software
 Microsoft Office Suite Software
 Microsoft Word
 Microsoft Excel
 Microsoft PowerPoint

Features of application software are as follows:

 Close to the user
 Easy to design
 More interactive
 Slow in speed
 Generally written in high-level language
 Easy to understand
 Easy to manipulate and use
 Bigger in size and requires large storage space

SOME EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARES

https://turbofuture.com/computers/Three-Categories-of-Application-Software

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ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTERS
The following are certain advantages of computers:

High Speed
 Computer is a very fast device.
 It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of
data.
 The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond,
and even the picosecond.
 It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as
compared to man who will spend many months to perform
the same task.

Accuracy
 In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.
 The calculations are 100% error free.
 Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that
the input is correct.

Storage Capability
 Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
 A computer has much more storage capacity than human
beings.
 It can store large amount of data.
 It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text,
audio, etc.

Diligence
 Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony,
tiredness, and lack of concentration.
 It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
 It can perform repeated tasks with the same speed and
accuracy.

Versatility
 A computer is a very versatile machine.
 A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
 This machine can be used to solve the problems related to
various fields.

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  At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem
and the very next moment it may be playing a card game.

Reliability
 A computer is a reliable machine.
 Modern electronic components have long lives.
 Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

Automation
 Computer is an automatic machine.
 Automation is the ability to perform a given task
automatically. Once the computer receives a program i.e., the
program is stored in the computer memory, then the program
and instruction can control the program execution without
human interaction.

Reduction in Paper Work and Cost

 The use of computers for data processing in an organization
leads to reduction in paper work and results in speeding up
the process.
 As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when
required, the problem of maintenance of large number of
paper files gets reduced.
 Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high,
it substantially reduces the cost of each of its transaction.

DISADVANTAGES OF COMPUTERS
The following are certain disadvantages of computers:

No I.Q.
 A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform
any task.
 Each instruction has to be given to the computer.
 A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency
 It functions as per the user’s instruction, thus it is fully
dependent on humans.

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 Environment
 The operating environment of the computer should be dust
free and suitable.

No Feeling
 The Computers have no feelings or emotions.
 It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience,
and knowledge unlike humans.

COMPUTER IN HEALTHCARE
Computers have become an important part in hospitals, labs, and
dispensaries. They are being used in hospitals to keep the record of
patients and medicines. It is also used in scanning and diagnosing
different diseases. ECG, EEG, ultrasounds and CT scans, etc. are also
done by computerized machines.

Following are some major fields of health care in which computers are
used:
 Diagnostic System − Computers are used to collect data and
identify the cause of illness.
 Lab-diagnostic System − All tests can be done and the reports are
prepared by computer.
 Patient Monitoring System − These are used to check the
patient's signs for abnormality such as in Cardiac Arrest, ECG, etc.
 Pharma Information System − Computer is used to check drug
labels, expiry dates, harmful side effects, etc.
 Surgery − Nowadays, computers are also used in performing
surgery.

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https://www.ecpi.edu/sites/default/files/nurseoncomp.png

References

 Computer - Software (2021); Tutorials Point

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/computer_fundamentals/compu
ter_overview.htm

Chapter 5: Microsoft Office use for Nurses (Week 7-8)

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Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

At the end of the chapter, you are expected to:

1. define the Microsoft Office applications and its features;

2. identify the features suitable for nursing informatics; and
3. compare the applications and its efficacy particularly on
the use of the E-Health Records.

Introduction

Microsoft Office, or simply Office, is a family of client software,

server software, and services developed by Microsoft. It was first
announced by Bill Gates on August 1, 1988, at COMDEX in Las Vegas.
Initially a marketing term for an office suite (bundled set of productivity
applications), the first version of Office contained Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. Over the years, Office
applications have grown substantially closer with shared features such
as a common spell checker, OLE data integration and Visual Basic for
Applications scripting language. Microsoft also positions Office as a
development platform for line-of-business software under the Office
Business Applications brand. On July 10, 2012, Softpedia reported that
Office was being used by over a billion people worldwide.

Unlocking of Difficulties

 Word Processor – is a device or computer program that provides

for input, editing, formatting and output of text, often with some
additional features.

 Analysis – using data to synthesize knowledge, inform decision

support, and manage outcomes as well as taxonomies.

 Spreadsheet – is a computer application for organization, analysis

and storage of data in tabular form. Spreadsheets were developed

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 as computerized analogs of paper accounting worksheets. The
program operates on data entered in cells of a table.

Lecture Notes

MICROSOFT WORD

 Microsoft Word is arguably the most popular word processor on

the planet. That’s because it’s part of Microsoft’s Office Suite,
which is installed in 1 billion devices in the world (according to
groovyPost).
 When Word 1.0 for Windows was released in 1989, it was one of
the first word processors that offered a WYSIWYG (what you see is
what you get) interface.
 This combination of ease of use and robust features makes it the
go-to word processor in both homes and offices today. It’s now
also available for the Mac operating system as well as a web-
based version through an Office 365 subscription.

What Is Microsoft Word Used For?

For Business or School - Microsoft Office's Word is a great tool for

creating business documents. Of course, you could design
business and school documents from scratch. Or you could get a
head start using a professionally designed template:

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https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-is-microsoft-word-definition--cms-34990

You can also find templates to help you create the following:
 letter
 report or paper
 proposal
 newsletter
 brochure
 catalog
 poster
 flyer
 postcard
 sign
 banner
 resume
 business card
 invoice
 receipt
 product packaging
 mailing label

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 For Personal Purposes

https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-is-microsoft-word-definition--cms-34990

There are also many personal uses of MS Word. Here are just a
few:
 invitation
 card
 gift tag
 recipe card
 place card
 certificates

(See the PPT/demonstration for the step-by-step use of MS

Word)

MICROSOFT EXCEL

 MS Excel is a commercial spreadsheet application that is produced

and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS
operating systems. It features the ability to perform basic
calculations, use graphing tools, create pivot tables and create
macros, among other useful features.
 Spreadsheet applications such as MS Excel use a collection of cells
arranged into rows and columns to organize and manipulate data.
They can also display data as charts, histograms and line graphs.

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  MS Excel permits users to arrange data in order to view various
factors from different perspectives. Microsoft Visual Basic is a
programming language used for applications in Excel, allowing
users to create a variety of complex numerical methods.
Programmers are given an option to code directly using the Visual
Basic Editor, including Windows for writing code, debugging and
code module organization.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/microsoft-365/excel

Excel Basics

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 If you're just starting out with Excel, there are a few basic
commands that we suggest you become familiar with. These are
things like:
 Creating a new spreadsheet from scratch.
 Executing basic computations in a spreadsheet, like adding,
subtracting, multiplying, and dividing in a spreadsheet.
 Writing and formatting column text and titles.
 Excel's auto-fill features.
 Adding or deleting single columns, rows, and spreadsheets.
Below, we'll get into how to add things like multiple
columns and rows.
 Keeping column and row titles visible as you scroll past
them in a spreadsheet, so that you know what data you're
filling as you move further down the document.

(See the PPT Presentation for the step-by-step use of MS Excel)

SAMPLE OF WHAT MICROSOFT EXCEL LOOKS LIKE

https://www.britannica.com/technology/Microsoft-Excel

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MICROSOFT POWERPOINT

 Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful presentation software

developed by Microsoft. It is a standard component of the
company's Microsoft Office suite software, and is bundled
together with Word, Excel and other Office productivity tools.
 The program uses slides to convey information rich in multimedia
and is used to create complex business presentations, simple
educational outlines and much more.
 PowerPoint allows users to create media-rich presentations
constituted by a series of slides. Since it’s fully integrated with the
other tools of the Microsoft Office suite, the user can import
content created with Excel or Word into PowerPoint, as well as
other media such as pictures, audio, and video clips.

https://sites.google.com/site/nursingb1g/module-one/nursing-and-computers

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How to create slides for a PowerPoint Presentation?
 Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
 If a page with templates doesn't automatically open, go to "File"
at the top left of your screen and click "New Presentation".
 To use a template, either click the "Design" tab or go to "File"
again and click "New from Template".
 Insert a new slide by clicking on the "Home" tab and then the
"New Slide" button.
 Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including
heading, text, and imagery.
 Keep the amount of text under 6-8 lines (or 30 words) at a
minimum of size 24 pt.
 Add images by clicking "Insert" and clicking the "Picture" icon.
 Add other elements by using features in the "Home" and
"Insert" tabs on the top ribbon.
 Play around with the layout by dragging elements around with
your mouse.

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https://356labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/PowerPoint-2019-is-here-What%E2%80%99s-
New.png

(See the PPT/demonstration for the step-by-step use of MS PowerPoint)

MICROSOFT OUTLOOK

 Microsoft Outlook is a proprietary email and task management

application that is available with most versions of Microsoft Office.
It was first released with Exchange Server 5.5 as a bundled
program and later integrated as a mainstay application with
Microsoft Office 97 suite and subsequent versions.
 Microsoft Outlook was initially released to provide users with a
desktop/local means of configuring POP3 and Web-based email
accounts/services.
 A user can compose, send, receive and manage one or more email
accounts with Microsoft Outlook. Although mainly popular as an
email client, Microsoft Outlook also allows users to create and
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 manage contacts, calendars, tasks, a personal journal and Web
browsing support.
 It can configure and receive RSS feeds, social updates, calendar
sharing, weather updates and more. Microsoft Outlook can be
installed and used as a standalone application or with SharePoint
and Exchange Server in an enterprise / networked environment.

https://www.cdrinfo.com/images/uploaded/Microsoft_Outlook_Mac_1.jpg

MICROSOFT OFFICE 365

 Microsoft 365 is a line of subscription services offered by

Microsoft that offers well-known applications like Word, Excel,
and PowerPoint. Based on the subscription selected, users can get
cloud storage, advanced security, and various Microsoft
applications.

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  Microsoft 365 was launched in 2017 as a superset of Office 365
and Windows 10 Enterprise licenses, along with other cloud-based
security and device management products. In 2020, Office 365
was rebranded as Microsoft 365 to be marketed towards
consumers and small businesses to emphasize a wider inclusion of
products that reach beyond the central Microsoft Office software,
such as cloud-based productivity tools and artificial intelligence
(AI) features.

Microsoft 365 Core Features

 Word
 Excel
 PowerPoint
 Outlook
 SharePoint
 OneDrive
 OneNote

https://tr4.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2020/04/28/42044c62-49f5-495f-8dd6-
e23bb8fb68b9/resize/1200x/7051c04da57d0b8b8ac65fdbb0982749/microsoft-365-list-apps.jpg

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Office 365 for Hospitals - Improving the Healthcare Sector

 Microsoft Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based collaboration and

interactive tools that incorporate all of Microsoft's existing online
apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher,
Sway, and Access) into a cloud service. Office 365 is an automated
software or integrated experience that can help hospitals improve
patient care and reduce operational costs by enhancing
collaboration and communication between doctors, nurses, staff,
and independent specialties, health teams, and health care
professionals in healthcare organizations. It is designed to help
you achieve your passion for providing quality care and expand
your hospital’s health insurance portability and accountability.
Built on Microsoft 365’s stable, compatible platform, Teams
provide all healthcare workers with a common way to
communicate in real-time, organize patient care, and maximize
operational efficiency.

The latest and updated approach for the healthcare system is

the Office365 for hospitals

 The intricate ways healthcare services has been conducted for

many years has changed now. Microsoft technology navigated the
administrating and accounting functions of the healthcare system
to a new era of development and improvement. Medical care has
evolved into team-based care, incredibly large medical
specializations, electronic patient data storage, and regulations for
patient's privacy. Healthcare organizations and centers are
working by securely collaborating with Office 365 for better
communication, security, and patient care.
 The healthcare professionals, including doctors, surgeons, or
nurses, have several concerns in their professional life. Their
prime concern is to be updated with day to day new information
related to the drug, modified techniques, and tactics of any
surgery or any new research related to the human body. This daily
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 need for being updated can easily be achieved through office 365
with its unique features and technology. The healthcare staff deals
daily with new researches, experimentation, and testing. The
office365 has easy access to daily workshops, internships, or
assignments scheduled for discoveries. The stress of having
updated information can quickly be solved with security and
compliance served through office365.
 Microsoft 365 was launched in 2017 as a superset of Office 365
and Windows 10 Enterprise licenses, along with other cloud-based
security and device management products. In 2020, Office 365
was rebranded as Microsoft 365 to be marketed towards
consumers and small businesses to emphasize a wider inclusion of
products that reach beyond the central Microsoft Office software,
such as cloud-based productivity tools and artificial intelligence
(AI) features.
 The patient's accurate information and health history must be
documented correctly is the patient's prime concern. The
reliability of the patient's health information is the most crucial
factor that medical health organizations care about. Microsoft
teams succeeded in implementing a care market instead of the
cure market, where the caretakers and healthcare providers are
successfully being engaged in healthcare services provision aided
by new technology. The current improvements have to with
proper services delivery. An example will be updates related to
patient's medicine information shared with all care provider
teams.
 A healthy relationship between health care providers and patients
can be maintained through persuasive communication. Office 365
enables healthcare providers or professionals to securely
communicate or collaborate in real-time with patients or
colleagues wherever they want. It also provides easy asses to
schedule and links for both providers and patients for booking
virtual appointments. Built on the secure, compliant Microsoft 365
cloud, the team gives all healthcare workers a familiar way to

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 communicate in real-time, coordinate patient care, and improve
operational efficiencies.

https://www.aalto.fi/sites/g/files/flghsv161/files/styles/2_3_1380w_600h_n/public/2019-
07/office365-1024x488.jpg?h=7e470e3b&itok=1jJQPNY6
 The improvements or productivity that office 365 provides to
healthcare organizations include advanced level coordination,
enhanced collaboration, and an agile healthcare team. A fully
equipped and informed team is what a healthcare organization
needed for a better and healthy future.
 Healthcare organizations work more productive through a
Microsoft technology created by the Microsoft Excel team. The
efficacy and productivity of the overburden team decline with
time. The Microsoft office enables the team to work efficiently in
peak hours of a rush as well as in every emergency. The daily need
for data entry, including the record of the patient's current status.
Staff needs to collaborate with clients, patients, and their families
to keep up the increasing demands and keep quality of service.
 It enables users to collaborates or communicate or handling data
or details in the strive of seeking quality or maintaining the quality
indeed. The caretakers can have quicker information about any
health alert, protocol, or in emergency circumstances or for better
regulations. They will have easy access to information anywhere
anytime. Caretakers, either in elderly care or home care, can have
far quicker access to information.

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 Many patients choose hospitals based on the behavior and
reputation of staff and healthcare provides. A kind and friendly
staff are more functional and skillful in public dealing. The overfull
patients in healthcare wards or emergency departments are one
of the many problems that nursing staff need to face; a
systemized way is Microsoft office that enables the team to work
with fewer errors.

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References

 Microsoft Word (November 2020); Computer Hope

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/microsoft-word.htm
 Microsoft Excel (November 2020); TechnoPedia
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5430/microsoft-excel
 Jaime Cartwright (January 2021); 14 PowerPoint Presentation Tips
to Make More Creative Slideshows; Hubspot
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/easy-powerpoint-design-
tricks-ht
 Microsoft Excel (August 2020); TechnoPedia
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5457/microsoft-
powerpoint-ppt
 Microsoft Outlook (February 2017); TechnoPedia
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/355/microsoft-outlook
 Microsoft Office 365 (February 2018); TechnoPedia
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/26678/microsoft-office-
365
 Amir Shingray (January 2021); Office 365 for Hospitals - Improving
The Healthcare Sector; Infowise
https://www.infowisesolutions.com/blog/office-365-for-
hospitals---improving-the-healthcare-sector

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