Creighton University
School of Nursing
Technology Manual
August 2010
Table of Contents
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Communication within School of Nursing ........................................................................................................................... 3
Official University communication listservs ......................................................................................................................... 3
Creighton e-mail account – CUmail...................................................................................................................................... 4
Postini ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Anti-virus programs ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
BlueLine ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Using Course CD-ROMs ........................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Viewing online video content ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Computer requirements for students ......................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Buying hardware and software through Creighton University ............................................................................................ 9
Programs you may need to view course materials .............................................................................................................. 10
Adobe Acrobat ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Word Reader ................................................................................................................................................... 11
PowerPoint Viewer .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Microsoft Media Player .................................................................................................................................... 11
Using your own computer on-campus ................................................................................................................................. 11
Omaha Campus Computer Lab ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Other Omaha campus computer labs .................................................................................................................................. 12
Hastings Campus Computer Lab......................................................................................................................................... 12
Additional Resources for Nursing ....................................................................................................................................... 13
Library and Academic Paper development resources .................................................................................... 13
Additional Instructions for online course materials .......................................................................................... 13
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Purpose
The School of Nursing uses technology for many tasks. The purpose of this manual is to give
students, faculty, and staff the clues they need to use the technology effectively.
Although we strive to keep the manual up to date, technology is changing rapidly. When
updated information is available, it can be accessed at
http://nursing1.creighton.edu/technology
An additional source for information is available at: http://www2.creighton.edu/doit/
or you can call the DoIT for students helpdesk at 402-280-1111, option 2 or e-mail
doit4students@creighton.edu
Communication within School of Nursing
Each student is required to belong to a School of Nursing listserv with a subscription address
that is a Creighton e-mail address. The listservs are:
Omaha Traditional Students
Hastings Traditional Students
RN to BSN students
ANC students – January class
ANC students – August class
Graduate students
DNP students
son_students
son_hml
son_one
anc-jan
anc-aug
son_grad
son_dnp
You should be subscribed to the appropriate listserv by virtue of being a member of one of
these student groups. If you are not subscribed to the list that you believe you should be on,
please send an e-mail from your Creighton account to Shannon Manfull
(ShannonManfull@creighton.edu ) to request access.
After you are subscribed to the listserv you will receive all messages sent to the listserv. Be
sure to check your Creighton e-mail account frequently because some of these messages will
be important ones. Faculty may use the listserv to send messages to all students in a class to
clarify an assignment or change a due date, etc. Dr. Cosimano, the Assistant Dean for
Student Affairs, uses the listservs to communicate opportunities like scholarships, job offers,
as well as important registration and graduation information. So, you will want to be a member
of the listserv!
In addition, faculty may send e-mail messages from the course BlueLine. These messages
should go to your CUmail account. Students may also use BlueLine to write e-mail messages
to other students in their classes.
Official University communication listservs
All students will be subscribed to two listservs for official University messages. CU_students
goes to all CU students and CU_official goes to all CU students, faculty, and staff.
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Creighton e-mail account – CUmail
As a student, you will be automatically signed up for a CUmail account. Your e-mail address
will be your first and last name@creighton.edu (e.g., janejones@creighton.edu) unless
someone already has that address. You can find out your e-mail address by looking up your
name at http://ami.creighton.edu. If your entry at this site does not show an e-mail address, call
the DoIT helpdesk at 402-280-1111 and ask to have an account set up.
To access your CUmail, you need to know your NetID and your BLUE password.
NetID –username
A NetID has 3 letters (usually your initials) and 5 numbers
Your NetID should be printed on your ID card.
BLUE password
Your initial password will be sent to you.
You will need to change this password every 180 days at http://ami.creighton.edu.
BLUE passwords have to have at least 8 characters. You are required to use a “strong”
password that contains characters from at least three of the following sets: upper
case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and non-alpha-numeric characters. See
http://www2.creighton.edu/doit/passwords/
If you forget your BLUE password, you can reset it at http://ami.creighton.edu using
your netid and the barcode from your ID card.
You can access your CUmail anywhere that you have web access by going to
https://cumail.creighton.edu and entering your NetID and BLUE password. This method of
accessing your e-mail is called Outlook Web Access (OWA).
Please read the policies for use of the CU computer facilities and services at
http://www2.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/doit/docs/policies/Fair_responsible_and_acceptable_
use_Policy.pdf
Postini
Postini is a program used to protect all Bluejay accounts from viruses. It scans all e-mail
coming into Creighton from the outside (not internal from one Creighton account to another.) It
also tries to protect us from junk e-mail, but this doesn't work quite as well.
When you establish your Bluejay account, you will soon get a message from Postini. It will tell
you your temporary Postini password and give you a link so you can go to Postini and set up
your own password. If you forget your Postini password, you can reset it when you login to AMI
at http://ami.creighton.edu.
Postini sends you a message if you have suspicious mail that it quarantines. When you go to
your Postini account, you can read the mail there. If it is suspected to have a virus, just read it
there and then delete. If it is suspected to be junk mail but it is something you want, you can
have it delivered to your regular account. You will have frequent messages from Postini, which
include a link. See http://www.creighton.edu/doit/postini/ for more information.
Anti-virus programs
The University requires that you use anti-virus software, if you want to connect to the network.
See information about recommended programs at http://antivirus.creighton.edu.
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Beware of “phishing” Please do not give out your Creighton password or other confidential
information to anyone. You may receive very professional-looking e-mails asking for this type
of information, but they are not legitimate. This includes following a link in an e-mail that takes
you to a web site that look like your bank’s site, or Amazon.com, or even Facebook. If you
enter your credentials on these bogus sites, you have given them away. Falling for a phishing
attack puts our whole e-mail system in jeopardy, so be alert. If you receive any e-mails that
you are not sure about, contact the helpdesk (402-280-1111) for help.
BlueLine
“BlueLine” is the Learning Management System we use to distribute course materials, quizzes,
have online discussion, etc. The address for BlueLine is https://blueline.creighton.edu . You
may also enter from the Creighton student page at http://www2.creighton.edu/students/ --right
side menu. Use your NetID and Blue password to enter.
The log in page for BlueLine will tell you if your browser is set correctly to use the features of
BlueLine. There are some features that do not work well in all browsers, so if you have
difficulty with a feature trying a different browser is a good place to start. BlueLine does not
work well with the browser called Safari.
Important: You must use Internet Explorer 7.0 or Firefox for BlueLine. You might be able to
access the site with other browsers, but some of the functions will not work correctly. The
BlueLine home page will assess your browser and give you information about what you need
to do to make it work with BlueLine.
Navigation in BlueLine
The School of Nursing has customized some of the tabs and locations in BlueLine to meet our
needs. These are some of the locations in BlueLine and what you might find in those locations:
BlueLine entry page
You will see announcements for all your courses when you
enter BlueLine. We have asked faculty to include the Course
# in each announcement. Please feel free to remind them
gently if that does not happen.
On the entry page you can also edit your
Preferences. Click on the face icon in the left side
tool bar. You can enter information about yourself
and limit who can see it. Please DO NOT change the e-mail
address shown here to a non-Creighton address.
Your courses should show up in the courses "nugget" on the
entry page. If you don't see them, it might be because you
are too early or that you need to click the Edit link in the title
bar and be sure that you have the course checked.
You can also edit the layout of your own BlueLine entry page.
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Course Home Page
You will see the course-specific announcements on the
course home pages. A grade nugget will also be on this page
in most courses. At times, you may see a link to a course poll
there.
Course Information Tab
This area will include just about everything you need. There
should be a folder for syllabi and course schedules, a folder
for information about course faculty, and folders for each
class session that contain handouts and information.
Many of your assignments will be turned in using a “dropbox”
feature. Your courses may have several dropboxes. Please
be careful to submit your assignment using the correct one.
Communicate Tab
This area should include a link to Course Mail. You can send
Mail from this area to faculty or other class members. Please
include the course number in the subject line. Faculty may
send mail to you using this feature. The mail sent from here is
stored as sent mail and ALSO exported to your Creighton
CUMail account. When you send mail to faculty members, do
not turn off this exporting feature because most faculty
members will not be checking mail within BlueLine. They will
see your mail when it comes to their CUMail account.
It is important to note that even if you send a message to
an instructor from within BlueLine, the instructor may answer
it in CUmail – so be sure to check both sources of e-mail.
You may see a Discussion Link in this area, if the course will
have discussion that does not relate to specific classes. Be
aware that this is not a good place to ask questions of the
faculty – unless they have specifically told you to do that. It is
usually better to send questions through the course mail.
The communicate tab also contains a roster of faculty and
students in your class.
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Online Discussion
In online discussion, remember to use the same courteous behavior (or maybe even more
courteous) that you would if you were speaking face to face. It is certainly acceptable to
question the reasoning or rationale behind comments but it must always be done with
consideration of the person who originally posted.
Online discussion is not the same as using instant messaging or chat. It is “asynchronous” –
not happening concurrently. One of the benefits of online discussion is that you can take the
time to think through your entries and to write them using correct spelling, punctuation, and
grammar. Don't expect an immediate response to your entries, though, and remember to
return to read those responses and respond to them.
Taking Quizzes & Exams in BlueLine
Occasionally, students are disconnected from BlueLine during a quiz or exam due to network
or computer problems. If that happens, you need to act immediately to ensure that you will be
able to finish the quiz/exam and receive credit for it. Please check your course syllabus for
instructions.
A word of advice about online quizzes and exams: Usually, you will have a certain amount of
time to take the quiz. You need to make your environment as distraction-free as possible so
that other things don’t eat up that time. Turn off your phone, put a sign on your door, and
devote the time to quiz/exam.
Viewing online video content
You may be assigned to view videos and slideshows in Windows Media Format (WMV). This
will require the Windows Media Player. You can find suggestions for viewing online videos, etc.
at http://nursing1.creighton.edu/online/computer.htm
We are working to provide media in QuickTime format as well as WMV for students who have
Apple computers. This may not be completed for all videos. Students have reported that a
product called Flip4Mac is a good way to convert WMV files so that they can be viewed on a
MAC. If you are having trouble with SON videos, please contact Christina Murcek
(christina@creighton.edu).
BlueTrain
If you need training on Microsoft Office software and other widely used applications, you may
find what you need at http://bluetrain.creighton.edu
BlueCafé
Some courses may use this web-based video conferencing tool to communicate with you or
provide recorded or live classes. If so, training materials will be provided within your BlueLine
Course web site. If you want a preview and want to test to see that your computer is ready for
this, you can visit http://bluecafe.creighton.edu and click on the BlueCafé Participant Training
link.
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BlueCast
Some of your courses may be recorded using BlueCast. This is not intended to substitute for
class attendance on a regular basis. The intent of the recording is to provide a review file
within the constraints of the systems. Students should not depend on the recorded class being
available. Technical and unforeseen occurrences may intervene. Also, not all class content
records well.
Recorded materials are considered to be copyrighted. They are for the use of students
enrolled in the class. Sharing them with others may be considered "misuse of academic
resources," which the Creighton University Student Handbook lists as an act of academic
misconduct.
Students should be aware that recording may continue during class breaks and, therefore, that
private conversations should be held elsewhere.
my.Creighton.edu
You can enter most of these password-protected Creighton sites and more at
http://my.creighton.edu
Stay Tuned!
New technologies are coming to campus all the time. If there is something new that we have
not included here, we will give information on the http://nursing1.creighton.edu/technology web
site.
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COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS
Most classes offered by Creighton University School of Nursing will require use of computer
and web technology to some extent. Students must be able to download documents in
Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat formats from the web and print them. They must also be
able to construct documents in several formats, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft
PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel. The School of Nursing provides computer labs on both the
Omaha and Hastings campuses. However, students often like to use their own computers
when possible. For this reason, we are providing the following list of required technologies that
will be needed while a student in the School of Nursing.
Minimum computer requirements for Creighton University School of Nursing students:
Hardware
IBM type PC, at least Pentium IV or better
MAC computers are also acceptable, if they can run the software listed below and have
an Intel processor
1GB of Ram
80GB hard drive
Mac OS 10.5 or higher
These recommendations for Mac users allow a student to connect to the wireless
network. A minimum OS 10.5 is required to use the secure wireless network and the above
specifications are the minimums to run OS 10.5.
For both PC and Mac Users
CD-Rom/DVD drive
Sound card and speakers
Printer (letter quality, not dot matrix)
Software
Windows operating system – WindowsXP SP3 (WindowsXP is recommended for now, rather
than Vista)
Microsoft Office Professional –Word, Excel, PowerPoint –2007 or 2010
(Note that registered students may participate in the Microsoft Campus License agreement,
which allows them to install Microsoft Office on their personal computers. A small fee is
charged. Contact DoIT at 280-1111 to learn more about this or visit
http://www2.creighton.edu/doit/software/personal/microsoft/index.php and sign in with your
NetID and Blue password)
Mac – Office Professional 2008
Adobe Acrobat Reader (free from http://www.adobe.com)
Windows Media player (free from http://www.microsoft.com)
Virus protection software, with frequent updates
These players may also be needed:
RealOne player, (free from http://www.real.com)
Quicktime player (free from http://www.apple.com)
Flash Player (free from http://www.adobe.com/)
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Browser
Internet Explorer 7.0
(free from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/ie7/)
Mac & PC Firefox, which is free at http://firefox.com
Note that other browsers like Safari and Chrome do not work with BlueLine.
Other:
Connection to the internet from home: Access to a high speed connection such as Cable,
DSL, or Satellite (min speed up to 3MB/sec) is required for graduate and RN to BSN students
and recommended for other undergraduate students.
Some classes may require web services that require a small monthly fee
Students enrolled in NUR351/352 as well as subsequent Care Management courses will be
required to use a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that runs the required software in clinical,
and the classroom.
Other items that may be required include:
CD-ROM recorder
Flash drive (fits into USB port) for transporting files
Computer Microphone
Webcam; digital camera; video camera
For graduate students, SPSS software, if not able to come to campus to use this in lab
Buying hardware and software through Creighton University
DoIT is currently changing its policies on selling and providing support for student computers.
Please see the DoIT website (http://www.creighton.edu/doit) or call (280-1111) for more
information.
You can purchase software at academic pricing which is often quite a bit cheaper than regular
prices. Ask at the bookstore, call them at 280-2796, or visit the bookstore website at
http://www.creighton.bkstr.com. Note information about Microsoft Office on previous page.
Programs you may need to view course materials
Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is a program that is used for many types of documents. When we put a handout on the
web to accompany a PowerPoint presentation, it is usually in Acrobat format. Many library
articles that you can access via the web are also in Adobe format.
Adobe Acrobat files are also called PDF files for Portable Document Format and their
extension (the 3 letters after the dot) is pdf.
You can get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program to read these files at
http://www.adobe.com/ (just the Reader program—you don’t need Adobe Acrobat itself)
This is a program that you will need to download and install. There are directions on the site for
doing this.
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Word Reader
We use Microsoft Word for many of the documents we put on the web for you to download. If
you have Word on your computer, the documents should open up in it. If you don't have Word,
you can get a free reader for Word. This allows you to open the Word files but not write in
Word.
Download the program directly from Microsoft at http://office.microsoft.com/downloads
Again, you have to install the program to make it work.
The basic steps for downloading and installing are:




Save the program to a place where you know where it is (not a floppy disk).
Close everything you have open on your computer.
Browse to the program and double-click on it.
Follow the prompts it gives you on-screen.
PowerPoint Viewer
You can also download a free PowerPoint viewer from Microsoft at
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads
Microsoft Media Player
We have developed videos and slideshows that take the Microsoft Media Player. It can be
found on most Windows computers, but if you need it, you can download it from
www.microsoft.com. See information and troubleshooting tips at
http://nursing1.creighton.edu/online/computer.htm.
You can also view the presentations in the computer labs. The computers in the labs should be
able to play any of our presentations. If you find one that does not, please report it to one of
the lab workers or to Christina Murcek .
Using your own computer on-campus
Even if you don’t live on campus, you may bring your own notebook to campus and access the
network. Wireless access is available in most library and student lounge areas and in some
classrooms. See http://www.creighton.edu/doit/wireless/index.php for information about how to
access the wireless network. If instructions for your type of operating system are not given
there, call DoIT at 280-1111 for assistance.
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Omaha Campus Computer Lab
The Omaha computer lab is in Room 216 in the Criss II building. It is available most of the time
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but you need to swipe your ID card to enter. Please verify that
your ID card works to open the door during regular business hours. The lab is reserved at
times for specific classes. At times that you are allowed to use the lab while a class is in
session, you are expected to work quietly so that the class is not disturbed. When exams are
in process, you will not be allowed to enter the lab. The weekly computer lab calendar will be
posted ahead of time so that you will be able to plan your time. The School of Nursing shares
the Omaha Campus Computer Lab with the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions.
You will need your NetID and BLUE password to access the computers. If yours does not work
to access the computers, please talk the lab manager. Especially when you are new to the
School of Nursing, you may not be in the right group to gain access yet.
You will need to have money on your JayBuck$ card to use the printers in the lab. See
http://www.creighton.edu/CardServices/ for information.
To print, select Printer 1, 2, or 3 (or the color printer, if desired). Be careful not to select the
color printer unless you want color prints. The cost is much higher. Name your print job,
preferably including your NetID in the name. Go to one of the printer release stations in the
front of the lab and swipe your JayBuck$ card. Select your document and click Print.
BE SURE TO LOG OFF or others will be able to charge prints to your account.
DEEP FREEZE WARNING: You need to be aware that you will not be able to save files on the
hard drive of the lab computers. The computers run a program called DeepFreeze that cleans
the hard drive every time the computer reboots. It is suggested that instead of saving to the
hard drive, you bring a USB drive (also known as jump drive, thumb drive, flash drive, cruzer,
etc.) If you do that be sure to put it on a lanyard so that you don’t accidentally leave it in the
lab. An additional way to back up important files is to e-mail them to yourself.
Other Omaha campus computer labs
The Health Science Library contains a computer lab on the second floor. You can view Library
hours and take a virtual tour at http://www2.creighton.edu/health/library/aboutus/index.php
Hastings Campus Computer Lab
The Hastings computer lab is in the basement of the Medical Services Building. The lab is
open anytime using your MLMH Badge, but library staff are available only during the following
hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Closed on Holidays
The lab is reserved at times for specific classes. When a class or exams are in process, you
will not be allowed to enter the lab. These times will be posted on a calendar ahead of time so
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that you will be able to plan for them. There are seven computers outside the lab that can be
used during these times.
DEEP FREEZE WARNING: You need to be aware that you will not be able to save files on the
hard drive of the lab computers. The computers run a program called DeepFreeze that cleans
the hard drive every time the computer reboots. It is suggested that instead of saving to the
hard drive, you bring a USB drive (also known as jump drive, thumb drive, flash drive, cruzer,
etc.) If you do that be sure to put it on a lanyard so that you don’t accidentally leave it in the
lab. An additional way to back up important files is to e-mail them to yourself
Additional Resources for Nursing
Library and Academic Paper development resources
We have started a site to provide help with finding resources at the library (and on the web)
and writing academic papers. The site is at http://nursing1.creighton.edu/orient. It will not be
password protected.
Additional Instructions for online course materials
See http://nursing1.creighton.edu/online for instructions
This manual is a work in progress. If you find anything that is inaccurate or incomplete, please
notify Christina Murcek (christina@creighton.edu). Also, feel free to suggest additional
information that needs to be included.
Creighton University Department of Information Technology (DoIT) is developing a helpful
website for students. You can see it at http://www.creighton.edu/doit. A special getting started
page for students is at http://www2.creighton.edu/doit/start/students/index.php .
DoIT for Students is located on the first floor of the Reinert Alumni Library (#29 on this campus
map) , and their technicians can be reached by phone at 1-(402)-280-1111 option 2 or by
email at doit4students@creighton.edu.
Last updated, August 20, 2010
Christina Murcek and Janet Graves
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