two new librarians take on the world of healthcare
TRANSCRIPT
Two new librarians take on the world of healthcare
Learning curves and opportunities
Steven Chang: Medical Librarian, Western Health (Melbourne) @StevenPChangNikki May: Health Sciences Liaison Librarian, Flinders University (Adelaide) @NixLib
www.flickr.com/photos/jakerust/16226034713/
One year ago… Nikki:@NixLib
● MLIS completed in 2011
● Graduate Trainee Librarian
Programme at Flinders University
(2011 - 2014)
● Liaison Librarian for the Health
Sciences (July 2014 - present)
Steven:@StevenPChang
● MLIS completed in 2011
● Research Assistant, university
archival digitisation project
(2011 - 2014)
● Hospital-based Medical
Librarian (April 2014 - present)
● Time poor● Highly variable levels of information literacy● Hungry for evidence to support clinical
practice
Our users
● New to study● New to topic area● Little searching experience● High stress
Students Clinical staff
image: NEC Corporation of America
A window into the world of health librarians
● Expert searching
● Evidence-based practice
● Collaboration
● Medical terminology
● Scientific search methodology
● Intimate familiarity with databases
● Advanced search tools
o i.e. text mining analysis
● Evaluation of searches
Expert searching
Evidence-based practice
● Levels of evidence - hierarchy
● Critical appraisal of clinical trials
● Study design and methodology
● Systematic review searches
● Evidence into clinical practice:
making a difference
Collaboration
● Proactive outreach initiatives
● Integrating ourselves into non-
library teams
● Pushing out beyond the walls
of the traditional library
The ‘embedded’ librarianNikki● Embedded in … curriculum
o Guest lectures/workshopso Collaboration on topic assessments
Steven● Embedded in … clinical
o Clinical Librarian at Western Healtho NHS librarians: ward rounds, patient care
Our evolution
● Twitter: meeting each other,
plus #MedLibs chat!
● Generous mentors
● MOOCs
● Health Libraries Australia / Health Libraries Inc PD Days
● Raw experience!
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One year later ...Nikki (@NixLib)
● Presented at EBP in Optometry Conference
● First student S/R published● Guest lectures increased by 90% in
2015● Co-authoring 3 systematic reviews● EBLIP S/R protocol in progress● Completed ALIA CP health
Steven (@StevenPChang)
● Launched mobile health information program● Presented at systematic review and meta-
analysis workshop for anaesthetics/ICU● Annual presenter at Ophthalmology lecture● Launched Current Awareness service● Active committee member for Health
Libraries Inc● Writing for Health Inform journal
Flight paths in health
A small sample of the options out there...o Clinical informationist / librarian
o Mental health librarian
o Health informatics (leaning towards IT)
o Academic health faculty librarian
o Trainer at a vendor (i.e. EBSCO Health)
o Public/consumer health librarian