Module Components

• Overview
• Assignments

Topics

• Computer Hardware & Software
• Networks & Telecommunication Devices
• Database Models, Data Warehouses and Data Dashboards
• Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery

Nurs 310 - Professional Role of the Registered Nurse

Technology to Support Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration

Networks & Telecommunication Devices

Learning Activities:

View eHealth network SHIN-NY (Statewide Health Information Network for New York) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF6GjGIv7TY

Definitions

Networks
A network is defined as two or more computing devices linked together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks can be categorized several ways:

• Local Area Network (LAN) - a network that connects devices over a relatively short distance such as a single office building (or floor of a building), school, or home. Another associated term is WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network).
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) - a network that connects devices in a physical area larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, such as a city. A MAN is typically owned and operated by a single entity such as a government body or large corporation.
• Wide Area Network (WAN) – networks from different geographic areas connect to the WAN via a router which expands across cities, states, or the world. The internet is the world’s largest public WAN.

Telecommunications
Networks often use multiple protocols to communicate between computers and applications. The most common protocol is TCP/IP.

• TCP/IP: The acronym TCP/IP stands for Transaction Controlled Protocol / Internet Protocol. The Transaction Controlled Protocol is important because it means when a packet of information is sent, if the server doesn't get a confirmation that the packet is received the server will resend the packet. Internet Protocol just means it will be understood and therefore will travel on the Internet. If you just have Internet Protocol and nothing else, you will never know if your packet of information was received at the intended destination.
• Internet: Originally a Department of Defense (DOD) research project developed protocols in order to connect different networks owned by different vendors into a network of networks or, as we know it today the Internet. The initial purpose was to deliver a few basic services that everyone needed such as file transfer, electronic mail, and remote logon across a very large number of client and server systems. Now it connects networks related to education, commerce, the government and other sources all using the same communication protocols.

Telecommunication Devices in Healthcare

Click on these links to explore telecommunication devices used in healthcare

• Smartphones Revolutionize Modern Medicine at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEjtmhCt4nw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nT2sszk_T4
• Glen, B. (2013) Physicians top 5 most-used medical apps for smart phones and tablets. Medical Economics, Advanstar Communications, Inc. at
  http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/physicians-top-5-most-used-medical-apps-smartphones-and-tablets?page=full
• FDA Food and Drug Administration. (2018, July 25). Examples of pre=market submissions that include MMAs cleared or approved by FDA. Retrieved September, 24 from https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DigitalHealth/MobileMedicalApplications/ucm368784.htm

There are many specific devices and applications used for communication. Explore online other communication devices used in healthcare.