the provision of reference services in medicine

The provision of reference services in medicine: an introduction for library technicians

Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | [email protected] | LIBR 2195 (Winter 2015)

AGENDA

Introduction Handout & quiz reviewWhat is medical reference?Major user groups in medicine The “Reference interview” in medicine

Sources of information Key sources of information in medicine?dictionaries, handbooks, drug bookskey tools used daily

Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195

From the introductory quiz & pathfinder

Medical librariesWhat is the name of the largest medical library? Where is it?What is the name of Canada’s largest science library?

Where is it? What subjects does it cover?

Sources of information in medicine What is the name of the largest medical database in the world?

What is the name of the nursing index?

In groups of 2 from the pathfinder take five (5) minutes: With your partner, discuss one key source of information in medicine …

dictionaries, handbooks, drug books (not website) Dean to say what sources he uses every day

Sample reference questions I got today at my library:

• What is Google scholar? Can I use it to find citations from 1955?

• What year did doctors find out that smoking caused lung cancer?

• Can you find an address for a physician in Calgary named Dr. Ernst?

• What is the difference between CINAHL & MEDLINE searching?

• What is the difference between a librarian and a library technician? (A student from the US over e-mail)


What does Bill Katz say?

“…reference work is viewed in terms of questions and answers. A patron has a question and expects the library to provide an answer, or at

least where it can be found.”

General reference service

. William A. Katz. Introduction to reference work, Vol. 1: Basic

information sources. 3e. New York N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Press, 1978.

Broadly defined as:

“…any assistance given by the library staff to users seeking health or medical information…from a simple catalog search to extended searches...”


What is medical reference?

. Nancy Calabretta. General reference services. In: Reference and information services in health sciences libraries. Metuchen, NJ: MLA; Scarecrow Press, 1994.

…“[medical reference] … may be defined as activities that provide information to accomplish the goals of the organization. These include literature and database searches, ready reference, Internet training, document delivery and outreach services.”

. Ruth Holst. MLA Guide to Managing Health Libraries. New York: Neal Schuman, 2010


What is medical reference?

Who do library staff serve in medical libraries?

Physicians – medical students, residents, fellows Nurses Pharmacists Therapists Allied health personnel Management Members of the public Patients Health consumers!


Major users of medical libraries

Where is health reference provided?

Medical libraries in universities and colleges Community and large hospitals like VGH Health organizations Pharmaceutical companies

Don’t forget:Public libraries also get questions in patient and consumer health!


Types of health organizations

Classic 1992 Rochester Hospital Study found:

• 80% of physicians said they definitely or probably would have handled ... a clinical situation differently as a result of information provided by the library

. Marshall JG. The impact of the hospital library on clinical decision making: the Rochester study. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1992; 80(2):270-309.


Value of health information services

Joanne Gard Marshall, famous health librarian

Reference interview similar in medicine What makes a good reference interview?

What’s important in health? Like a good doctor, health information is vital – currency, accuracy a must! Confidentiality must be respected Health professionals are very busy & need information assistance


The reference interview

What’s different in medical reference? Medical terminology is complex but terms can be learned using a dictionary We provide different viewpoints & sometimes contradictory evidence but we don’t

interpret! Providing service to consumers & patients

Library staff does not provide advice Sometimes patients are upset, and need consoling Patients and consumers can be demanding


The reference interview

Who? are your users eg. doctors, nurses, etc. What? sources of health information will you use Where? do your users work eg. in hospitals? When? is the information needed today? Why? do users need the information:

for a literature review? are they treating a specific critical patient? for a clinical study they are planning? because they are writing grant applications?


The five Ws of medical reference

Since the rise of the web, medical reference has changed rapidly

Many sources now online …. but print still needed What formats are commonly used? How have handheld devices changed access? Print, electronic & other forms of information such as social media

What are the key sources of information?

See Dean’s wiki for Health Pathfinder for LIBR2195


Sources of medical information

1. Empathy, respect for and sensitivity to patient & physician needs, confidentiality

2. Knowledge of medical searching, information sources & databases (print & online)

3. Reference skills, interpersonal & “soft skills” (courtesy & respect)

4. Lifelong learning, computer & teaching skills (keeping up with new technology)

5. Knowledge of health care environment (research, education, patient care)


Top Five (5) Medical Reference Skills

What are the challenges of so much information? Information overload Change is constant Conflicting “evidence” Burnout

• Medical publishing has a lot of duplication• Collection development can be a challenge• The Internet poses many challenges• Mobile devices & social media


So many sources… so little time~

the provision of reference services in medicine

Technology

health reference

medical reference

health libraries

sources of health information

consumer health

famous health librarian

health sciences libraries

reference work