Introduction:

The use of Information technologies (ITs) has become increasingly widespread in medicine and off late, healthcare has become dependent on technology. Many health facilities use computers to raise the quality of health services, to increase the scientific information base in medicine and nursing and to decrease healthcare costs(1). It is of essence that positive attitudes toward computers be promoted among users  if they are to use computers at optimal levels in both educational and practical settings(2). Computers have a broad area of application in hospitals. They are used actively in almost all areas such as health problem diagnosis and treatment, healthcare planning, evaluation of results, monitoring patients, and accounting(3). It is essential to use technology both to improve patient outcomes and for lifelong learning.

Contemporary healthcare faces many changes on account of emerging and re-emerging diseases but nothing will change the way health care is provided more than the current advances in information, communication and technology. 

Computer use in nursing began in the 1970s as the need for more information and documenting the services increased for nurses(3). In this period, computers were used effectively in thediagnosis and treatment of the problems of the healthy individual/patient, in planning, applyingand evaluating healthcare and for keeping records(4).

Nursing, being an integral part of the healthcare delivery system, is exposed continually to a variety of changes. The responses of the nurses tochange could vary from unreserved support to total rejection(5). For instance, the introduction of computers could elicit diverse feelings among nurses. A positive attitude could see a rapid adoption with accompanying realisation of the benefits of computerization. A less positive attitude or rejection is likely to retard attempts to modernise service delivery.(6)Computers are used not only for diagnosis and imaging techniques but also in home care and long term facilities. Computers can perform a wide range of activities that save time and help to provide quality nursing care. We need to be aware of the forces having an impact on nursing. Nurses acquire new roles because of computerization, it isa matter of changing the job profile computerization could resolve certain problems and derive benefits including reduction in clerical work required of professionals, reduction in printed forms, centralized patient care data etc. Computerization will improve the efficiency of health care.