Impact and Contribution to Health Care, Education, Research and Community
Librarians are pivotal in furthering their institution's mission and goals, whether they are performing expert searches, teaching students literature searching skills, providing community outreach programs, supporting innovation and research, or disseminating the best medical and business practice information. Key areas where health sciences librarians make a difference are highlighted below.
Contributions to the Nursing Profession
Does your hospital have a Magnet Accreditation Program? Health sciences librarians have a strong collaborative relationship with the nursing profession. Librarians are actively involved in the Magnet Accreditation Program and teaching nurses and nursing students literature searching skills.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center/MLA Magnet Whitepaper
- Magnet Recognition Program® Collaboration
- Librarians’ Contributions to their Institutions’ Magnet Journey: Examples, Presentations, and Publications
- How does the availability and use of library resources and services in healthcare settings impact nursing and patient outcomes? Learn why the use of library resources results in changing advice given to patients, handling patient care differently, avoiding adverse events, and saving time.
- Marshall JG, Morgan JC, Klem ML, Thompson CA, Wells AL. The value of library and information services in nursing and patient care. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing 2014 Sep; 19(3):39-46. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol19No03PPT02
Contributions to Physicians and Students
Are you aware of the key role that health sciences librarians play in teaching students and residents how to search the literature? This systematic review shows how librarian-provided services for clinicians improve literature searching skills, save time for health professionals, provide relevant information for decision-making, and reduce patient length of stay.
- Perrier L, Farrell A, Ayala AP, Lightfoot D, Kenny T, Aaronson E, Allee N, Brigham T, Connor E, Constantinescu T, Muellenbach J, Epstein HB, Weiss A, Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings: a systematic review. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2014; 21:1118-1124. doi: 10.1136/amiajnl-2014-002825.
What value do health care professionals place on library information and services that support patient care? Do library resources lead to changes or confirmations in patient management decisions? Does the information reduce length of stay?
- Sievert M, Burhans D,Ward D, et al. Value of health sciences library resources and services to health care providers in medium and large communities across two mid-continental states. J Hosp Librariansh. 2011;11(2):140-157.
Does your hospital library support the institution's organizational goals and mission? Learn how one health sciences library demonstrated its value to administrators and the institution it serves, and how the study’s methodology can be adapted to other libraries.
- Cuddy T. Value of hospital libraries: the Fuld Campus study. J Med Libr Assoc. Oct 2005; 93(4): 446–449.