Adapting the 23Things programme for health librarian professional education

In the UK, as elsewhere, continuing professional development is seen to be a necessary professional activity. However resourcing is problematic and funding varies between employing agencies. The 23Things programme has evolved to address these constraints. In particular it reduces the time for staff to be absent from core functions and makes maximum use of peer support. Within a common structure the programme delivers development to personnel at all professional levels. Activities are learner defined and relevant to their personal context. The pace of progress is learner determined. Cambridge University Medical Library (CUML) has designed its own 23Things programme. While conforming to the general model of 23Things, CUML adapted the programme in three ways. 1. to meet the specific learning needs of the library staff 2. to select topics and tasks related to the subject focus of the library 3. to include a new strand of professional development called Follow That.. Follow That... was designed to foster better understanding of each team members role in delivering core services in the library, and to improve the integration and awareness of expertise within a relatively large team This paper will describe the way in which the programme was set up, the selection of tasks and activities, and the pitfalls encountered. Also included will be an overall evaluation of the programme from the perspective of the participants and the programme designers

TeachMeet - librarians learning from each other

Teaching and training skills are a core requirement for many librarians (1)- whether the teaching is delivered to library users or to colleagues. Formal training in education, while included in some librarianship courses, is not yet available in all librarianship curriculums. Gaining teaching qualifications can be a costly and time consuming process, which might be low on the list of priorities for the employing organisation. Learning from colleagues and sharing experiences is a valuable way of improving practice (2). TeachMeet is an informal event in which like-minded practitioners share tools, techniques and tips they have tried themselves (3)Librarians at University of Cambridge have adapted TeachMeet for their own professional setting, sharing experiences and encouraging creative approaches to user education and continuing professional development. This paper will give a brief history of TeachMeet, how librarians adapted the concept, and how one TeachMeet event was evaluated by participants and organisers

Going, going, gone... but not forgotten: lessons from a journal de-selection project

Objectives Cambridge University Medical Library has a strategy of migration from paper-based to e-resources. In 2007 it secured funding for a new IT study area, necessitating the removal of a substantial proportion of the printed journal collection. This paper deals with the process by which journals were proposed for removal, the issues that arose, and the outcomes. Methods (1) We targeted backsets of dead titles and monitored their in-library use, comparing the results with a similar review in 2000, to construct a list of low-use titles. (2) We checked these against electronic subscriptions and the holdings of other local libraries and created two lists: 444 unique titles for relocation to a dark archive, and 118 duplicated titles for disposal. (3) We conducted an extensive consultation exercise with our user community, using a web-based survey form to record their responses. Results 7,700 users were invited to contribute to the consultation, and we received comments from fewer than 2%. Half the respondents were historians who objected in principle to our relocation plans for unique titles. After further investigation of alternative locations we modified our proposals, redirecting 77 titles to an accessible store, while the remainder were dealt with as originally proposed. Conclusions • Preparing consultative lists of journals for disposal in a multi-library university is a complex and time-consuming task • A web-based survey is an effective consultation medium • Most medical library users accept the case for removing old printed journals • Historians have different requirements requiring different solution

Making a virtue out of virtual communities: working electronically with an advisory panel of library users

All libraries need an effective process of governance to guide the planning, development and improvement of resources and services. Library committees must be able to relate both to the high-level strategic policies and vision of their parent organizations and to the day-to-day needs and problems of their users. Combining these requirements in a single library committee can lead to difficulties for three reasons: it may be hard finding members who are equally well qualified to give advice on both strategic and day-to-day questions; the most useful committee members are often also the busiest and therefore those most likely to miss meetings; and in a multi-disciplinary library, a committee that is truly representative by including members drawn from all the various user groups will be far too large to function efficiently. Cambridge University Medical Library, which serves three distinct but inter-related main communities - university, hospital, and government research laboratories - has encountered all these problems. In response it has adopted a different approach, creating a separate policy advisory group for its major stakeholder organizations, and addressing the day-to-day service issues by forming a User Advisory Panel that relies almost exclusively on electronic communication. The Panel has been designed to allow the library's management to hold regular informal two-way discussions with a virtual group drawn from a broad cross-section of users, seeking their views on a wide variety of issues, both urgent and longer-term. In mid-2007 invitations were distributed widely to users and non-users within all three main communities, inviting volunteers to serve on the Panel. Respondents were asked to provide basic information about themselves, and to identify any special interests or concerns. They were told that they would not be expected to attend any meetings; that they were under no obligation to respond to every query sent by the library to the Panel if they were too busy or had no interest in the subject under discussion; and that they would not be expected to act as formal representatives of a particular group of users. This paper describes the process of forming the Panel, analyzing the initial and continuing response from users and reporting on the successes and problems encountered during this period. It also offers general conclusions on the likely benefits and drawbacks to other libraries considering such an approach

TeachMeet: Librarians learning from each other.

In this case study, we present the TeachMeet concept, discuss how we adapted it for use by librarians and consider how this model is spreading beyond Cambridge. In particular, we consider the role social media had in the inspiration for and organisation of these informal peer support events, and in the dissemination of information about the events once they had taken place

Teenage and Young Adult Cancer-Related Fatigue Is Prevalent, Distressing, and Neglected: It Is Time to Intervene. A Systematic Literature Review and Narrative Synthesis.

PURPOSE: Cancer-related fatigue in adults has been the subject of considerable recent research, confirming its importance as a common and debilitating symptom, and establishing a number of evidence-based interventions. There has, however, been limited focus on the fatigue suffered by teenagers and young adults with cancer, a group recognized as having unique experiences and developmental needs. We have undertaken a systematic review of the literature to provide a comprehensive overview of studies evaluating fatigue in this younger patient group in order to guide clinical practice and future research. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases for literature containing data relating to any aspect of fatigue in patients aged 13-24 at cancer diagnosis or treatment. RESULTS: Sixty articles were identified, of which five described interventional clinical trials. Cancer-related fatigue was consistently one of the most prevalent, severe, and distressing symptoms, and it persisted long-term in survivors. It was associated with a number of factors, including poor sleep, depression, and chemotherapy. There was little evidence for the effectiveness of any intervention, although exercise appears to be the most promising. Importantly, fatigue was itself a significant barrier to physical and social activities. CONCLUSION: Cancer-related fatigue is a major and disabling problem in young cancer patients. Effective management strategies are needed to avoid compounding the dependence and social isolation of this vulnerable patient group. Future research should focus on providing evidence for the effectiveness of interventions, of which activity promotion and management of concurrent symptoms are the most promising.SB and AS were funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available via Mary Ann Liebert at http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jayao.2014.0023#/doi/abs/10.1089/jayao.2014.0023

Barriers and Facilitators to the Uptake and Maintenance of Healthy Behaviours by People at Mid-Life: A Rapid Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: With an ageing population, there is an increasing societal impact of ill health in later life. People who adopt healthy behaviours are more likely to age successfully. To engage people in health promotion initiatives in mid-life, a good understanding is needed of why people do not undertake healthy behaviours or engage in unhealthy ones. METHODS: Searches were conducted to identify systematic reviews and qualitative or longitudinal cohort studies that reported mid-life barriers and facilitators to healthy behaviours. Mid-life ranged from 40 to 64 years, but younger adults in disadvantaged or minority groups were also eligible to reflect potential earlier disease onset. Two reviewers independently conducted reference screening and study inclusion. Included studies were assessed for quality. Barriers and facilitators were identified and synthesised into broader themes to allow comparisons across behavioural risks. FINDINGS: From 16,426 titles reviewed, 28 qualitative studies, 11 longitudinal cohort studies and 46 systematic reviews were included. Evidence was found relating to uptake and maintenance of physical activity, diet and eating behaviours, smoking, alcohol, eye care, and other health promoting behaviours and grouped into six themes: health and quality of life, sociocultural factors, the physical environment, access, psychological factors, evidence relating to health inequalities. Most of the available evidence was from developed countries. Barriers that recur across different health behaviours include lack of time (due to family, household and occupational responsibilities), access issues (to transport, facilities and resources), financial costs, entrenched attitudes and behaviours, restrictions in the physical environment, low socioeconomic status, lack of knowledge. Facilitators include a focus on enjoyment, health benefits including healthy ageing, social support, clear messages, and integration of behaviours into lifestyle. Specific issues relating to population and culture were identified relating to health inequalities. CONCLUSIONS: The barriers and facilitators identified can inform the design of tailored interventions for people in mid-life.This work was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), invitation to tender reference DDER 42013, and supported by the National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research. The scope of the work was defined by NICE and the protocol was agreed with NICE prior to the start of work.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from PLOS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.014507

Support needs of patients with COPD: a systematic literature search and narrative review

Introduction: Understanding the breadth of patients’ support needs is important for the delivery of person-centered care, particularly in progressive long-term conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Existing reviews identify important aspects of managing life with COPD with which patients may need support (support needs); however, none of these comprehensively outlines the full range of support needs that patients can experience. We therefore sought to systematically determine the full range of support needs for patients with COPD to inform development of an evidence-based tool to enable person-centered care. Methods: We conducted a systematic search and narrative review of the literature. Medline (Ovid), EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were systematically searched for papers which included data addressing key aspects of support need, as identified by patients with COPD. Relevant data were extracted, and a narrative analysis was conducted. Results: Thirty-one papers were included in the review, and the following 13 domains (broad areas) of support need were identified: 1) understanding COPD, 2) managing symptoms and medication, 3) healthy lifestyle, 4) managing feelings and worries, 5) living positively with COPD, 6) thinking about the future, 7) anxiety and depression, 8) practical support, 9) finance work and housing, 10) families and close relationships, 11) social and recreational life, 12) independence, and 13) navigating services. These 13 domains of support need were mapped to three of the four overarching categories of need commonly used in relevant national strategy documents (ie, physical, psychological, and social); however, support needs related to the fourth category (spiritual) were notably absent. Conclusion: This review systematically identifies the comprehensive set of domains of support need for patients with COPD. The findings provide the evidence base for a tool to help patients identify and express their support needs, which underpins a proposed intervention to enable the delivery of person-centered care: the Support Needs Approach for Patients (SNAP)

Do Patients Want to Die at Home? A Systematic Review of the UK Literature, Focused on Missing Preferences for Place of Death.

BACKGROUND: End-of-life care policy has a focus on enabling patients to die in their preferred place; this is believed for most to be home. This review assesses patient preferences for place of death examining: the extent of unreported preferences, the importance of patient factors (place of care and health diagnosis) and who reports preferences. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Systematic literature review of 7 electronic databases, grey literature, backwards citations from included studies and Palliative Medicine hand search. Included studies published between 2000-2015, reporting original, quantifiable results of adult UK preferences for place of death. Of 10826 articles reviewed, 61 met the inclusion criteria. Summary charts present preferences for place of death by health diagnosis, where patients were asked and who reported the preference. These charts are recalculated to include 'missing data,' the views of those whose preferences were not asked, expressed or reported or absent in studies. Missing data were common. Across all health conditions when missing data were excluded the majority preference was for home: when missing data were included, it was not known what proportion of patients with cancer, non-cancer or multiple conditions preferred home. Patients, family proxies and public all expressed a majority preference for home when missing data were excluded: when included, it was not known what proportion of patients or family proxies preferred home. Where patients wished to die was related to where they were asked their preference. Missing data calculations are limited to 'reported' data. CONCLUSIONS: It is unknown what proportion of patients prefers to die at home or elsewhere. Reported preferences for place of death often exclude the views of those with no preference or not asked: when 'missing data' are included, they supress the proportion of preferences for all locations. Caution should be exercised if asserting that most patients prefer to die at home.This is the final version of the article. It was first available from PLOS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.014272

Local food environment interventions to improve healthy food choice in adults: a systematic review and realist synthesis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Local food environments have been linked with dietary intake and obesity in adults. However, overall evidence remains mixed with calls for increased theoretical and conceptual clarity related to how availability of neighbourhood food outlets, and within-outlet food options, influence food purchasing and consumption. The purpose of this work is to develop a programme theory of food availability, supported by empirical evidence from a range of local food environment interventions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search of the literature will be followed by duplicate screening and quality assessment (using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool). Realist synthesis will then be conducted according to the Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards (RAMESES) publication standards, including transparent appraisal, synthesis and drawing conclusions via consensus. DISSEMINATION: The final synthesis will propose an evidence-based programme theory of food availability, including evidence mapping to demonstrate contextual factors, pathways of influence and potential mechanisms. With the paucity of empirically supported programme theories used in current local food environment interventions to improve food availability, this synthesis may be used to understand how and why interventions work, and thus inform the development of theory-driven, evidence-based interventions to improve healthy food choice and future empirical work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42014009808.The work was undertaken by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR, MR/K023187/1), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged. Additionally, TLP's PhD studentship is generously supported by the Cambridge International Scholarship, a scheme funded by the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the British Medical Journal via http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-00716