Dear all
Apologies for giving you the wrong URL. It must have been the excitement of
getting ready for ICML. The correct URL for our project report is
http://www.le.ac.uk/li/lgh/library/clinlib.htm As before, comments welcome.
Linda
-----Original Message-----
From: Ward, L.M.
Sent: 01 July 2000 08:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: From a clinical librarian/informationist
Dear all
Usually a 'lurker', I feel I have to contribute to the list on this
subject as we have been offering a clinical librarian service
at Leicester since October 1999. (A much better title than
Informationist btw). This was as a pilot project, funded by
HA Modernisation funds. We are about to secure joint LIS/Trust funding
to continue the service for 3 years. The
report of our pilot project is at
http://www.le.ac.uk/li/library/clinlib.htm [comments welcome]
A number of points have been raised so far which I would like to add to.
The NHS does cough up the money for additional services, especially if they
can be demonstrated to support clinical governance and EBP.
Offering the service has had the effect of raising the profile of the
library service generally within the organisation. We have become more
visible and represented on various guidelines and clinical effectiveness /
clinical governance groups.
EBP demands that research evidence is identified in a systematic and
thorough way. Clinicians do believe that evidence and information are
important despite an appropriate level of cynicism) and are aware of
developments in their field of expertise. The clinical librarian can
provide information in a less serendipitous way and overcome some of the
barriers to information use in clinical practice (lack of time, skills etc.)
Re: the question of clinical training for librarians. Although the
librarian and myself who carried out the pilot project both have nursing
backgrounds, we felt that this wasn't
vital. The essential point is the development of partnerships with
clinicians, bringing together information and clinical skills. Our aim is
to be as accepted a part of the
multidisciplinary team as haematology or radiology.
Filtering search results. Being present at clinical meetings can provide
useful context and enable an accurate literature search to be carried out.
Clinicians for their part are
happy to receive abstracts and select appropriate articles. We feel that
there is a role
for the clinical librarian in raising quality issues. Providing a
commentary on
the methodology of the research available, the clinicians deciding on its
applicability to their patients.
I must say that I liked Mike's reminder that clinicians tend to seek out a
person for information. A clinical librarian can be that person, placing
the library service at the point where clinical questions arise, answering
questions that might not normally be answered.
A robust evaluation of the service is an issue that we need to address now.
Response to questionnaires in the pilot project was poor, as we might have
expected given the demands on
clinicians' time. We can measure our activity but has anyone got any
suggestions about how the use of evidence in practice can be measured? A
pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but a question that I'm sure all
health librarians would
appreciate the answer to.
Linda Ward
Information Services Librarian
Education Centre Library
Leicester General Hospital
Gwendolen Rd
Leicester
LE5 4PW
Tel. 0116 2588124
Fax. 0116 2584244
Email. [log in to unmask]
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