School of Nursing

Technology

The OHSU School of Nursing relies on the use of computer technologies for student learning activities and testing, both in the classroom and online using the Internet.

As a general rule, all students are required to have a laptop and bring them to class for use in electronic examinations and other course related activities. Students must be comfortable with the condition of their laptops and its ability to maintain battery power for four hours.

NOTE: Program directors and Campus Associate Deans may modify the laptop requirement for their program or campus. Students should check with their specific program or campus for any exceptions to the laptop requirement. Currently, students in the following programs may elect a desktop computer instead of a laptop if a desktop better suits their needs. 

  • RNBS
  • MNE
  • HSOL

OHSU policies

All students must comply with all OHSU policies and directives related to information security and privacy. A copy of our Acceptable Use policy can be found at https://www.ohsu.edu/sites/default/files/2020-05/OHSU-computing-policy.pdf. Information, Security and Privacy training conducted online annually is required for all faculty, staff, students and volunteers.

More information on all OHSU policies is located at https://o2.ohsu.edu/institutional-policies.cfm. (OHSU account required to access)

    Social media guidelines

    OHSU School of Nursing student posts, tweets and photos need to follow the code of conduct, HIPAA and the rights and responsibilities outlined in the student handbook. Violations of the social media guidelines or code of conduct may be grounds for disciplinary action and or dismissal.

    Students should know:

    • Posting information referencing a patient's name or specific clinical site may violate HIPAA.
    • Posting photos from a clinical site may be a violation.
    • The OHSU Code of Conduct requires that students report violators to School of Nursing faculty/ administrators- The OHSU Code of Conduct
    • HIPAA 

    These are minimum requirements for all students and meeting these minimum requirements is essential for successful learning. Most new computers exceed these requirements.

    • Operating System: Windows 10 (version 20H1 or newer)
    • Processor: Intel Core i3, Core i7 or Core i5 (recommended)
    • Memory: 8 GB minimum, 16 GB (recommended)
    • Hard Drive: 128GB or larger

    The School of Nursing is currently a Microsoft Windows environment. Software required for some courses may not come in a Mac version or there may be differences in functionality between the two versions. Students choosing to use a Mac will still be responsible for meeting all course assignments and requirements.

    MAC OSX versions MAC OS version 12.x or 13.x is required. Apple typically releases a new OS version each Fall. Please note OS versions older or newer may not work with the Examplify software, which is required for courses using our online testing provided by ExamSoft.

    Netbooks and Chromebooks provide access to the Internet and keep a person connected to the web and email, they are underpowered and may not be supported by our online testing platform. These devices are not an acceptable alternative to our laptop requirement.

    Tablets and other mobile devices provide easy and instant access to the information, digital media and the Internet. Such devices include, eReaders/Kindles, Apple iOS devices (iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone) and Android devices (tablets & phones). These devices may not be able to run required software or store files in a way that allows full engagement in classroom activities.

    ♦ While the School of Nursing encourages innovation and the use of these devices where possible, they are not an acceptable alternative to our laptop requirement.

    Microsoft Office

    All students are required to use Microsoft Office. Microsoft Works, Apple iWorks (pages, keynote and numbers), OpenOffice, and Corel WordPerfect are among the unacceptable alternatives to Microsoft Office. Faculty must be able to open your documents without the need to convert or install additional non-standard software on their computers.

    OHSU provides students with a subscription to Microsoft Office for download and use on up to 5 devices. For more information see ITG’s webpage on O2. https://o2.ohsu.edu/information-technology-group/software/365-microsoft-office.cfm  Note: O2 is now only available from personal computers through the Citrix remote access portal (https://portal.ohsu.edu).  

    Microsoft Outlook

    OHSU provides an e-mail and network account for all currently enrolled students. Microsoft Exchange is the product we use for e-mail and calendar. Students are required to use and regularly check the OHSU provided e-mail account to receive critical student updates. OHSU units like financial aid, billing and registrar, along with program faculty and staff will communicate important student information to the OHSU e-mail address only.

    Accessibility

    • OHSU e-mail may be accessed through the Internet using a standard web browser (http://mail.ohsu.edu) or through the OHSU remote access portal (http://portal.ohsu.edu).
    • OHSU e-mail may be accessed on mobile devices such as Apple iPhones and iPads or Android-based phones and tablets using the Boxer appp or by enrolling the device in Airwatch Intelligent Hub.

    Email Distribution Lists

    Cohort-specific e-mails lists exist to communicate specifically with OHSU students groups within the School of Nursing. Inclusion in these lists is not optional and students need to receive permission from their program before sending emails to these lists.

    The School delivers many of our courses to a distance over the internet using synchronous and asynchronous delivery technologies. Students participating in courses from a distance are required to have the following;

    • Web cameras
    • USB headsets with microphones
    • Internet connection speeds greater than 5 mb/s.

    For blended courses where some students are face to face with the instructor in a classroom and some are online, OHSU Nexus is the product used most often. Traditional or VOIP/Internet telephone services are highly recommended over the use of cell phones for classroom audio if there are issues with internet.

    Students participating in a courses delivered via web conferencing should plan to join the conference 7 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This allows everyone time to test the audio/video connection and resolve any issues that may arise so classes may start on time.

    DUO Mobile
    OHSU uses DUO Mobile for two-factor authentication when logging in to most OHSU systems from off campus. Students will need to download the DOU Mobile App to their smart phone or tablet. A DUO keychain device that generate a DUO code is available for students who do not have a smart phone or have an older smart phone that does not meet the requirements for DUO Mobile.

    Cloud Services

    Only vendors with whom OHSU has a business level agreement may be used for OHSU business. Currently, OHSU has an agreement with Microsoft, Box.com and Dropbox.  Popular services such as Google, Amazon, and Apple are not approved.

    File Storage
    OHSU policy prohibits storage of files containing any information that is not for public consumption on your local hard drive or portable hard drive, unless you have encrypted the drive. If you are unsure if your drive is encrypted, store your files in Box.com. These types of files may not be stored in any cloud storage service other than Box.  Box allows individuals to share folders with other people.  Box has a utility called Box Drive which allows direct access to files from Windows Explorer or the MAC Finder. Box also has a utility called Box Tools which allows for online editing of Box files in a web browser.   OHSU will be discontinuing our contract with Box in the Fall 2021.  Files and their sharing permissions will be moved by our IT group from Box to Microsoft OneDrive.

    Secure Email
    Email sent between OHSU accounts is secure. Email sent outside of OHSU is not. When sending emails outside of OHSU that contain sensitive, confidential or restricted information, start the subject line with Secure: and the message will be routed through our secure server. The intended recipient is notified of there is a message waiting and is provided instructions for securely getting your communication.

    Technical Support Documents

    The documents below have been made available to help you get started here at OHSU. Additional documentation is available in the ITG Service Portal, which is only accessible through Citrix Workspace.

    Technical Support Contacts

    SON AV Support

    • Call 503-312-9546 to receive live support during a video conference.
    • Email sonvideo@ohsu.edu for information when not in a live video conference.

    SAKAI

    • The School of Nursing uses Sakai to deliver online course content to its students. An updated browser is required to access Sakai.
    • Sakai is supported by OHSU's Teaching and Learning Center. Students who need help with Sakai can contact the Sakai Helpdesk at 877-972-5249 orsakai@ohsu.edu

    OHSU IT Service Desk

    • The OHSU ITG Helpdesk can assist students with e-mail account or account access issues between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 503-494-2222.