Libraries, learning and information: meeting the future needs of healthcare students Catherine Ebenezer 20/09/05

Existing policy context The new NHS: modern, dependable (1997) Making a difference (DH 1999) Fitness for practice (UKCC 1999) NHS workforce strategy (2000) Wanless Securing our future health (HM Treasury 2002) and Good health for the whole population (HM Treasury 2004) Widening access to HE ???

The context: Making a difference: 1 Issues identified by Gannon-Leary et al.: Role of IT in the NHS: More training places Flexible approaches to training Problem-based and enquiry-based learning Emphasis on lifelong learning, CPD Evidence-based practice / critical appraisal Importance of research

The context: Making a difference: 2 Issues identified by respondents: 12-month CFP More time on placements in NHS Introduction of evidence-based practice Increase in number of user education sessions More family-friendly curriculum model

The context: e-learning Seen by government as a way of extending participation in HE, ensuring consistent standards, cost-effective delivery, enabling lifelong learning Delivery typically ‘blended’ – a mixture of ‘traditional’ teaching and electronic delivery Growing importance of VLEs

Aspects of library services Resources Access Support User education

Resources Still ‘hybrid’ – but balance tilting steadily in favour of electronic Books – e-book collections now being successfully implemented – worth experimenting with Could consider moving almost entirely to electronic subscriptions for journals other than a few core titles New models of research and professional communication: digital repositories, blogs

Access Study space needs to support group work Remote electronic access to library resources increasingly important – needs robust network infrastructure and good IT and library support Document supply services increasingly electronic (BL, BMA) and self-service Ability to manage loan transactions online Demand for extended opening hours Circulating laptops/wireless networking

Support – at the point of need Approaches to support need to be user- centred – we are not training librarians Subject guides, database search help sheets Help with information management tools: PDAs Bibliographic management packages Current awareness tools – eTOCs, news feeds 1:1 support can be delivered online using Internet ‘chat’ applications

Information literacy Ability to recognise an information need, and to identify, locate, evaluate and use effectively information needed for the particular decision or issue at hand (ALA) Development a key aspect of learning and teaching strategies A key educational outcome/aspect of professional competence for all health care practitioners

Information literacy

Information habits of students Perceive the Web as their primary information environment, not necessarily libraries Want a single interface to information resources, not multiple interfaces Reluctant to abandon ‘quick and dirty’ searches on Google etc. in favour of better- quality information resources provided by libraries Convenience, rather than quality, the overriding factor

User education Underpinning basic IT skills Internet navigation skills Awareness of available types of information resource Formulating clinical questions Searching library OPAC and bibliographic databases Critical appraisal Referencing Copyright

Issues for students on placement Distance learners! Need access to HSHS e-resources from trust premises or from home Resources can be supplied to NHS libraries under SLAs HSHS libraries need to provide access to the DIALOG interface used in NHS Core Content Should work with NHS librarians at WDC level to ensure that NHS libraries can provide adequate services to students Reciprocal access arrangements with other academic libraries

References Akeroyd, J (2004) Information management and e- learning: some perspectives. Aslib Proceedings 57(2) Gannon-Leary, P, Wakeham M, Walton G (2003) ‘Making a difference’ to nurse education: the impact on HE libraries. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 35(1) Moyo, L M (2004) Electronic libraries and the emergence of new service paradigms. Electronic Library 22(3)

References Royal College of Nursing (2004) The future nurse: the future for nurse education. A discussion paper. London: RCN SCoNUL (1999) Briefing paper: information skills in higher education. At [18/09/05] SCoNUL (2004) Information support for eLearning: principles and practice rev.ed. At [14/07/05]

References Wakeham, M (2002) Making a difference – meeting the challenge. (PowerPoint presentation). At [17/09/05] Yeoh, J (2000) Nursing information needs: what next? Health Libraries Review 17(1) 14-16