Excel Spreadsheets II

Anna Wilson #3

What is it?

This versatile software can be intimidating when you begin working with it, but there are so many uses that it is worth learning about. Excel (or Google Sheets) can help you get meaning from data or plan a party!

What can it do for us?

The data can be in the form of numbers, text, or formulas. Enter data in the cells and group them in rows and columns. Then, use the tool to add up the data, sort, and filter it. Once the data is synthesized, you can convert it to tables and charts.

Here is how I used it:

As part of my fieldwork, I reviewed Safety-Net (incident) reports. We were interested in learning the frequency of complications associated with each type of vascular access device used in the hospital. I reviewed the narrative reports and classified them.

Screen shot of an Excel Spreadsheet with colorful columns

Here is the sheet with the types of devices across the top and complications along the y-axis of the sheet

This example is with the data entered. The sheet seems busy and difficult to interpret.

Screen shot of an Excel Spreadsheet with data entered in the cells

Screen shot of a brightly colored Excel Spreadsheet using conditional formatting to create what is called a heat map

Using a feature called conditional formatting, I was able to create a heat map. That means the system will assign a color to each cell based on the frequency of reports documented. This makes reading the table much easier, drawing the eye to the most common complications and device type. As you can see, there have been many issues with PIV infiltrating and extravasating.

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