Exploring NLH resources:

hands-on session for Library Assistants

February / March 2008

Objectives of this overview session

• To increase awareness of some of the resources currently available on NLH– For users– For library staff

• To have an opportunity to explore some of these resources and be clearer about when to use them

RESOURCES

1. Evidence Based Reviews

2. Guidance

3. Specialist Libraries

4. Books, journals and bibliographic databases under development launch date 1st April 2008

5. Images

6. For Patients

7. Drugs under development

(1) Click on Evidence based reviews to get adescription of this resource and note the link to the Cochrane Library

“Selected resources providing the best

available evidence for effective health care”

(1) Evidence based reviews

Exercise

Search the Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews for resources on asthma

(2) Click on Guidance to get a description of this resource

‘Clinical guidelines are defined (by the US Institute of Medicine) as "systematically developed statements designed to assist practitioners and patients on decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances

…They offer health professionals: recommendations that are based on the best available evidence, which will help them identify and implement appropriate patient decision pathways. Care pathways are both a tool and a concept that embed

guidelines, protocols and locally agreed, evidence-based, patient-centred best practice, into everyday use for the individual patient.’

(2) Guidance

Exercise• Search UK Guidance for asthma• Open the full text of:

British guideline on the management of asthma

Publisher: SIGN, British Thoracic Society

Publication Date: 01 July 2007

Publication Type: Care Guideline

Source: National Library of Guidelines

(3) Click on Specialist Libraries to get a description of this collection of resources

‘Specialist Libraries contain collections of clinical and non-clinical resources within specialty themes.

• They are designed to:• Be led by the NHS • Work closely with library and information networks • Develop as communities of practice • Develop quality and technical standards • Be based on the information needs of users

(3) Specialist Libraries

Exercise• Which Specialist Libraries would you search for

resources on asthma?• Which Specialist Libraries are most relevant to your

area of work?

(4) Books, Journals and databases new NLH search 2.0 interface available from 1 April 2008

Need to be logged in using Athens ID to access these resources

(5) Click on Images to get a description of this resourceIncludes: • DermIS

– DermIS.net is the largest dermatology information service available on the internet. It offers elaborate image atlases (DOIA and PeDOIA) complete with diagnoses and differential diagnoses, case reports and additional information on almost all skin diseases.

• Gray's Anatomy – The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in

color—from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries ranging from the Antrum of Highmore to the Zonule of Zinn.

• DermNet NZ – DermNet is the website of the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated. We aim to present authoritative

facts about the skin for consumers and health professionals. The site was launched in March 1996. • Trauma.org

– Largest Internet Trauma Care Site - Covers all aspects of injury prevention, evaluation and management. Includes an email Discussion group, Conference listings, Trauma Imagebank, Fellowship database. Home of Trauma Moulage on the Internet.

• ECG Library – 12-lead ECG library Homepage. A collection of electrocardiograms. Learn electrocardiography by seeing

examples of the various abnormalities. • Virtual Pediatric Hospital

– Virtual Pediatric Hospital is a digital library of pediatric information

(5) Images

Exercise

• Search for images of asthma

(6) Click on For Patients to get a description of this resource

“These resources are selected for their value to patient and non-clinicians. Over 100 sites accredited by NHS Direct Online are searched here. You can also search and browse the NHS Health Encyclopaedia for patient information print-outs.”

(6) For Patients

Exercise• Search the Health Encyclopaedia for asthma – can you

find a patient information leaflet on asthma?

Other highlights…

• A series of NLH Resource guides is being developed and will be available in early March

• Other services from NLH… – My Library - – NLH HEALTH NEWS

Hitting the Headlines

My Library log in to customise

• Personalisation - customise National Library for Health to suit users needs.

• Publicising your library - RSS facility so that you can keep your library users informed about your services

• Customise the search to remembers your search strategy and the resources that you prefer to search

• Home Library – the Athens username identifies the library closest to your work base and automatically sets it as their home library, with a link to the library web-site.

• Find A Library –type in free text, or postcode, to find details of health care libraries closest to them.

• My Links –library users can store their favourite bookmarks and share them with colleagues.

• My Feeds – helps library users keep up-to-date by storing RSS feeds.

• My Athens – all national and local electronic resources are listed here.

Hitting the Headlines

• NLH HEALTH NEWS Hitting the Headlines – provides the evidence to support newspaper stories.

• The archive is very useful for tracking changes in the evidence, for example the press coverage on the MMR jab.

• Hitting the Headlines contract ends 31/03/08 but we are planning to link into the Behind the Headlines facility (NHS Choices) which offers a similar service.

NLH – For Librarians – under development

NLH – For Librarians – under development

• Will be renamed to include all staff who might might find it useful inc. IT notably e-learning specialists

• Currently is not searchable so users have to understand its file structure.

NLH – For Librarians – under development

Exercise • Explore the file structure• locate the staff development pages and find the

guidance on Certification

Questions

1. I know there’s a Cochrane review on holding chambers and asthma. What’s the site address for the full text review?

2. I want the site address for the recent guideline on Commissioning services for obesity.

3. How many specialist libraries are there? What’s the site address for them?

4. I’m a mental health specialist. Where can I get up to date information on Schizophrenia?

5. I’m doing my first ever session for a mixed group of students on reading an ECG. Where can I get some good ECG images from?

6. My patient has asked me for a BMI (body mass index)? I need one from a reputable source. Can you give me a web site address for one?

Post-it Evaluation

• Write down the most useful thing that you have learned about NLH RESOURCES, NLH HEALTH NEWS, My Library and For Librarians