Design and Implementation of Computerized Child Care Information System
Chapter One
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the project is to study how the organization (UNICEF) operational aims and other activities are performed.
It aimed at detecting problems that pose obstacle with a view of modifying the operations and developing a new computerized system that will be more efficient and accurate such as:
In the area of misplacement of vital documents a computer will be used to record store and retrieval of large volume of documents. Which will reduce the duplications of efforts due to inconsistency in activities and time that is taken in search of file when it is required for processing .
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Computerization is the process of building a new system upon a computer technology for input, output, processing and storing. Computer entirely replaces the manual system that is using only paper and pencil for processing.
In Barba D.L.A (1979) in his contribution says that computerization does not only involve computer technology consisting to only hardware and software but also the communication link, that is it establishes the link for data communication devices to interact and share data as well as transferring data/information from one location to another. Besides, computers can be used for keeping records and these records are always available whenever they are needed and the need of carrying office file from one place to another is eliminated and in most cases some document may get lost or be tampered with the transmit.
Davies D.W (1979) state that computers have replaced manual technology because of its ability to process large volume of data or even handle complex work (processing cap ability) at a very high speed. It gives out accurate result at each time except when it is fed with incorrect data, Garbage-in-garbage-out. Hence, the need for computerization is certified.
In Federal Medical Centre Owerri, computerization help to keep accurate patients records in which case one can call up a patients record to find out necessary information about the patient when needed. This also helps to reduce redundancy in collecting patient’s record and also eliminate the problem of missing of some patients files.
Also French CS. (1996) states that a file is a document stored in the computer individually by name and is organized in a particular way with a well defined structure consisting of a collection of records each of which are made up of files.
Henry C.L. (commented that a typical organization has a large number of files, many of which may be stored on a computer device. We call these data machine readable because one can use computer to process them. Paper files on the other hand are much less accessible. A large organization related file as part of a database.
French C.S also defined a database as a single organization collection of structured data stored with a minimum of duplication of data items so as to provide a consistent users of the system but is independent of programs that use the data. Databases are normally set up in order to meet the information needs of major parts of an organization. It is not possible to construct a database in a single operation; it is usually built up section. During this process it is possible to:
- Add new “files” of data.
- Add new fields to record already present in the base.
- Create relationship between the items of data.
A database requires being stored on large capacity direct access devices. The usual medium is the magnetic disk. For security purposes a copy of the database may be held on magnetic tape or disk.
Like in ANC clinic and general out-patients departments, patient’s data may be duplicated, it is important to realize the duplication are minimized and controlled. This is referred to as controlled redundancy.
Although to the user, the database may appear as a collection of files, data in database is organized in a more complex way than data in conventional files. Database may be classified according to the approach taken to database organization. The classes are relational, network, hierarchical and file inversions. But this project work discusses more on relational database (information system) that is it users, types of table called relations.
Data description must be standardized for this reasons a data description language (D.D.L) is provided which must be compared to the declarations and processing statement in a compared to the declarations and processing statement in a conventional programming language.
Since complex files are processed in the database, a complex software system called database management system is required for construct, expands and maintain the database. It provides the controlled interface between the user and the data in the database. The DBMS allocated storage of data.
It maintains indices so that any required data can be retrieved and so that separate items of data in the database can be cross-referenced. The DBMS provides facilities for different types of file processing such as process a complete file (serially or sequentially) process required records (selective sequential or random) and retrieved individual records. It has the function of providing security for the data in the database.
Kent (1983), present a set of guiding to make NORMALIZATION more intensive. Firstly, normal form requires that all occurrence of a record type contain the same number of fields. As a result of record cannot contain a repeating group. Second normal forms require the design to examine the relationship between key field and other field in the record. In general, normalization creates a database in which there is minimum redundancy of data and risk of demanding the database through updating is minimized.
Most computerized systems cannot accept data informs customary to human communication such as speech or hand written documents. It is necessary therefore to present data to the computer in a way that provides easily conversion into its own electronic pulse based form. This is commonly achieved by typing the data into keyboard devices that convert it into machine sensible forms. Data finally enters storage.
Grawhill M.C draw a distinction between data and information. By using the description information storage and retrieval rather that storage and retrieval that emphasis is firmly place upon something meaningful to a user rather than upon he technicalities of storage. He also stressed that the more the meaning that was to be represented and stored, the more complex the storage organization and structure must be. As records are stored in these system their contents are automatically indexed by the software. Subsequently, the use may be able to find every instance of selected record very quickly.
A generally conclusion drawn from this is that, the provision of suitable information and storage retrieval. In a manner suited to the kind of data and to the information needs of the user or organization. Also, the data to be processed by the computer must be collected. The process of data collection then involves getting the original data converting it from one medium to another and finally getting it into the computer.
Abudullahi, J.I defines data collection as the process involved in getting the data from its points of original collection starts at the services of raw data and ends when valid data is within the computer in a form ready for processing. The process of data collections may involve any number of the following depending on the method used which includes the following:
* Data creation.
* Transmission of data.
* Data preparation.
* Possible conversion from one medium to another.
* Input of data to the computer from validation.
* Sorting
* Control-all stages must be controlled
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM INVESTIGATION ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEM
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research is an investigation in order to discover new factors through planning and systematic collection analysis and interpretation of data, where as particular task, therefore, research methodology is a detailed description of what the researcher planned and procedure adopted in gathering new facts relevant to the project work.
It is therefore an established fact that without data, there can be no analysis. This is the crux of social science research. Data can be defined simply as basic facts an figure mostly numeric in nature, resulting from business economic and social activities of man.
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
In the course of this project, the following outlines the method of data collection used.
- Primary method
- Secondary method
PRIMARY METHOD
The questionnaire and the direct observation methods
THE QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD
I sent questionnaire and appeal to the health care organization and some international bodies responsible for child care. Test examination and records all in respect to this project work. Among other, the questionnaire was aimed at getting data about.
* The goal and objective of child care.
* The organizational structure of UNICEF
* Inputs, outputs and process forms used for children records.
* Finally to ascertain if computerization can be a way out of their inherent problem.
Besides thorough care was exercised to structure questions based on these aims so as to ensure that the questionnaire is developed effectively and efficiently as to:
- Achieve the objective of the system under study.
- Get the maximum information in the minimum time.
OBSERVATION
Some facts were also recorded through my observation of some activities carried out on children care record in the organization.
CHAPTER FOUR
PROGRAME, TESTING AND IMPLEMENTTION
INTRODUCTION
The program design was considered in the following two areas:
1) Modular design: Creation of modules was necessary since we realize hat the system would be made of different units which would be same what difficulty to design as one whole unit. We therefore created representative module for the complex whole.
2) Actual Design: At this point, the individual modules so far created were transformed into actual working design. This design stage involves the creation of forms and placing of necessary objects on these forms.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY:
According to my project topic, it is justified that computer can be adopted process data related to CHILDREN CARE RECORD.
The health institution “UNICEF” facing several approaches needs a development of this hospital that can automatically prepare.
- statement of result
- Comprehensive lab. Result sheet or list
- patient doctors report
And as well offers accurate/effective
- Health care services or treatment system
- Maintaining security system.
- Filling /access system
- Updating /maintaining system for patients medical records (detection, update and insertion operation)
- Records outputs in the form of soft copies and hard copies with respect to achieving these outline above, the project narrows concentration down to the patients.
CONCLUSION
Computerization at large is ideal and effective towards solving this day data processing problems with indent analysis of vast activities of computerization covered in this project, despite the limited time frame, the institution can discover it an easy task, processing patient records.
RECOMMENDATION
Therefore, computerization should be used in running the daily activities of data processing (as per children records) in UNITED NATION INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN EMERGENCY FUND. In this order I recommend this new system to UNICEF to be used in keeping CHILDREN RECORDS.
REFERENCES
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- Feingold C. (1997) Introduction to data processing 2nd Edition USA, W.M.C. Brown Company publishers.
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- Loudon, K.C.and Loudon, J.P (1991) Business Information Systems A PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH USA THE Dryden Press.
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