This course will examine technology and its impact upon nursing and the healthcare industry. The students will explore how computers are utilized in education, practice, administration and research. Students will review software for its applicability in nursing and healthcare. Students will learn about word processing, electronic mail, computerized literature searches, Internet research, and electronic presentation software.(This course must be the first course taken in RN/BSN Program)

This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from information science and computer science to the health care field. Emphasis will be on developing a basic understanding of how automation is used to manage information in healthcare. Topics covered include types of information systems used in healthcare, how to select and implement information systems, current developments in healthcare information systems, issues surrounding computers in health care. In this course the focus is on the computer as a tool for helping healthcare providers do their work.