Describe the essential components of com- puter systems, including both hardware and software.
2. Recognize the rapid evolution of computer systems and the benefit of keeping up-to-date with current trends and developments.
3. Analyze how computer systems function as tools for managing information and generating knowledge.
4. Define the concept of human–technology interfaces. 5. Assess how computers can support collaboration,
networking, and information exchange.
Objectives
Key Terms » Acquisition » AMOLED (Active
Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode)
» Applications » Arithmetic logic
units » Basic input/output
system (BIOS) » Binary system » Bit » Bus » Byte » Cache memory » Central processing
unit (CPU) » Cloud computing » Cloud storage » Communication
software » Compact disk
read-only memory (CD-ROM)
» Compact disk- recordable (CD-R)
» Compact disk- rewritable (CD-RW)
» Compatibility » Computer » Computer science » Conferencing
software » Creativity software
» Database » Desktop » Digital video disk
(DVD) » Digital video disk-
recordable (DVD-R) » Digital video disk-
rewritable (DVD-RW) » Dissemination » Dots per inch (DPI)
switch » Double data rate
synchronous dynamic random- access memory (DDR SDRAM)
» Dynamic random access memory (DRAM)
» Email » Email client » Electronically eras-
able programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)
» Embedded device » Exabyte (EB) » Executes » Extensibility » FireWire » Firmware » Flash memory » Gigabyte (GB) » Gigahertz
» Graphical user interface
» Graphics card » Haptic » Hard disk » Hard drive » Hardware » High-definition
multimedia interface (HDMI)
» Information » Information Age » Infrastructure as a
service (IaaS) » Instant message (IM) » Integrated drive
electronics (IDE) » Internet browser » IPS LCD (In-Plane
Switching Liquid Crystal Display)
» Keyboard » Knowledge » Laptop » Main memory » Mainframes » Megabyte (MB) » Megahertz » Memory » Microprocessor » Microsoft Surface » Millions of instruc-
tions per second (MIPS)
» Mobile device » Modem » Monitor » Motherboard » Mouse » MPEG-1 Audio
Layer-3 (MP3) » Networks » Office suite » Open source » Operating system
(OS) » Parallel port » Peripheral compo-
nent interconnec- tion (PCI)
» Personal computer (PC)
» Petabytes (PB) » Platform as a
service (PaaS) » Plug and play » Port » Portability » Portable operating
system interface for UNIX (POSIX)
» Power supply » Presentation » Private cloud » Processing » Processor » Productivity
software
Introduction In this chapter, the discipline of computer science is introduced through a focus on computers and the hardware and software that make up these evolving systems; computer science is one of the building blocks of nursing informatics (refer to Figure 3-1). Computer science offers extremely valuable tools that, if used skillfully, can facilitate the acquisition and manipulation of data and information by nurses, who can then synthesize these into an evolving knowledge and wisdom base. This process can facilitate professional development and the ability to apply evidence-based practice decisions within nursing care, and if the results are disseminated and shared, can also advance the professional knowledge base.
This chapter begins with a look at common computer hardware, followed by a brief overview of operating, productivity, creativity, and communication software. It concludes with a glimpse at how computer systems help to shape knowledge and collaboration and an introduction to human–technology interface dynamics.
Computer Science and the Foundation of Knowledge Model Dee McGonigle, Kathleen Mastrian, and June Kaminski
» Professional development
» Programmable read- only memory (PROM)
» Public cloud » Publishing » Quantum bits
(Qubits) » Quantum
computing » QWERTY » Random-access
memory (RAM)
» Read-only memory (ROM)
» Security » Serial port » Small Computer
System Interface (SCSI)
» Software » Software as a
service (SaaS) » Sound card » Spreadsheet » Supercomputers
» Synchronous dynamic random- access memory (SDRAM)
» Technology » Terabytes (TB) » Throughput » Touch pad » Touch screen » Universal serial bus
(USB) » USB flash drive » User friendly
» User interface » Video adapter card » Virtual memory » Wearable technology » Wi-Fi » Wisdom » Word processing » World Wide Web
(WWW) » Yottabyte (YB) » Zettabyte (ZB)
35
CHAPTER 3
The Computer as a Tool for Managing Information and Generating Knowledge Throughout history, various milestones have signaled discoveries, inventions, or phil- osophic shifts that spurred a surge in knowledge and understanding within the human race. The advent of the computer is one such milestone, which has sparked an intel- lectual metamorphosis whose boundaries have yet to be fully understood. Computer technology has ushered in what has been called the Information Age, an age when data, information, and knowledge are both accessible and able to be manipulated by more people than ever before in history. How can a mere machine lead to such a revolu- tionary state of knowledge potential? To begin to answer this question, it is best to examine the basic structure and components of computer systems.
Essentially, a computer is an electronic information-processing machine that serves as a tool with which to manipulate data and information. The easiest way to begin to understand computers is to realize they are input–output systems. These unique machines accept data input via a variety of devices, process data through logical and arithmetic rendering, store the data in memory components, and output data and information to the user.
Since the advent of the first electronic computer in the mid-1940s, computers have evolved to become essential tools in every walk of life, including the profession of nursing. The complexity of computers has increased dramatically over the years,