Computer software

While many nurses are aware that the term "software" denotes the programs of instructions by which the computer operates, most of us could probably benefit by knowing more about software basics--what constitutes a program, what constitutes a system, what distinguishes various types of systems, and levels of computer language, and so forth. Few of us are familiar with the types of computer languages in use today. Fewer still realize that the type of language used to program a system has a significant effect on the resources needed to develop and maintain application programs; that specific languages are best used for specific types of applications; or that the amount of flexibility inherent in a specific system depends largely on the language used to program it. This article attempts to inform nurses at the decision-making level about the characteristics of computer software and their implications as criteria for selecting software systems that perform the required functions as efficiently and economically as possible.