Hello, my name is David Bedford and I am the Academic Support Librarian for Health and Social Care students on the Medway Campus.
What am I here for? Well, my job is to support the students and staff from courses run by all three of the Universities at Medway, whether undergraduate or postgraduate. I am here to help you get the very best use out of all the information sources available to you, whether these are on the shelves in the library or found on-line. I run workshops when asked by the various departments I support, and am happy for students to come to me for help in small groups or one-to-one.
These pages are a guide to the resources available in the Drill Hall Library and the services available to you on-line. Some of these on-line resources will only be available to students on particular courses, but others can be used by everyone.
Contact me!
All Health students are welcome to come and see me in the Library or send me an e-mail via the Contact Your Librarian form (select Health!).
If you need to contact the Library in general the main contact details are available from the Drill Hall web pages.
My Twitter feed is below. This includes some general updates about the Drill Hall Library as well as subject-specific information such as the newest books in stock, new resources you might find useful and details of workshops and drop-in sessions I run. If you're on Twitter, you can follow me on @dhldavidb. The Drill Hall also has an account - @drillhalllib, and also has a Facebook page.
Books for Health Care
The Drill Hall Library catalogue contains all the books currently held in the Drill Hall Library. When you have found the book you require, take a note of the location/shelfmark (the number which will be on the spine of the book) to help you pinpoint it on the shelves. These numbers are part of the Dewey Decimal system. If you find this confusing, please consult our pdf guide to finding books using the Dewey Decimal system.
These are some of the numbers where you will find your books :
- Anatomy and physiology - 611 and 612
- Cardiology - 616.12
- Dentistry and oral health - 617.6
- Ethics for health and medicine - 174.2
- Health promotion - 613
- Mental health - 616.89
- Midwifery - 618.2
- Nursing - 610.73
- Occupational therapy - 615.8515
- Operating department - 617.917
- Paramedic science - 616.025
- Paediatrics/child nursing - 618.92
- Psychology - 150
- Radiography - 616.07572
- Social policy - 361 and 362
- Sociology of health - 306.461
- Speech and language therapy - 616.855
- Surgery - 617
There are also many reference books such as specialist dictionaries available in the Drill Hall Library.
Although all the books needed for programmes taught at Medway should be available in the Drill Hall Library, you may occasionally need to reserve resources from Avery Hill or Maritime Greenwich (University of Greenwich libraries) via the Library Catalogue or submit an inter-university request form for resources held at Canterbury Christ Church University or University of Kent. See the inter-site loans page on the Drill Hall website for further details.
New books
New books arrive through most of the year. From the 2011-2012 academic year onwards, we will post regular updates on what's new here.
- April 2012 - Books for Mental Health, and books of general health-related interest
- March 2012 - Books for Nursing
- February 2012 - Books for Speech and Language Therapy, Operating Department Practice, Research and Study Skills and general health-related subjects
- January 2012 - Books for Occupational Therapy
- December 2011 - Books for Paramedic Science, Midwifery and Cardiology and Minimally Invasive Surgery
- November 2011 - Books for Adult Nursing, Mental Health, Midwifery, Speech and Language Therapy and general health-related subjects
- Summer 2011 - Midwifery books - Nurse prescribing books - General health books
Electronic books
e-books or electronic books are just like the books on the shelves, but accessible on-line using your university account.
- University of Kent - e-books are available via the Templeman Library Gateway. Most useful are the selection of Reference Resources (see particularly Oxford Reference Online which provides access to various dictionaries and encyclopedias) and the guide to accessing e-books.
- University of Greenwich - e-books can be accessed via the Portal. Most of the e-books for health and social care subjects can be found through the MyiLibrary service - this can be found by clicking on the Library & It tab in the portal, then selecting 'Databases, journals and e-books', which brings up an alphabetical list of services. You will also find some books of interest on the DawsonEra service.
- Canterbury Christ Church University - e-books are a new venture for Canterbury Christ Church University. The best way to access them is via the CCCU e-Library. Once logged in, choose CCCU library catalogue from the list, search for the title or topic you require, then click on Filter (top-right) then on e-Books (bottom-left!) for a list of e-books which match. To access them, click the link next to "Electronic location" or in the "Location" column.
Suggest a book
Is there a book that you think the library should have, but doesn't? If so, contact me using the form below, supplying as much information about the book as possible. If it is needed for a specific module, please indicate this. I can't promise to order everything, but I will investigate any books that are suggested.
Journals for Health Care
Journals, also known as periodicals or serials, are published regularly - weekly, monthly, or several times each year. They contain up-to-date information on specialised subject areas, and often include articles on the most recent research that has been carried out. We have access to them in print format, on the shelves in the Drill Hall (in block 13, grouped loosely by subject, so see Health) and also in electronic versions. The electronic versions contain the same information, but can be accessed from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
Journals in the Drill Hall Library
You can find out more details about the journals on the shelves by looking them up on the Drill Hall Library catalogue. You may find some Social Science and Social Work journals useful, but the key journals for Health and Social Care students are grouped together under the heading Health. The Health journals available on the shelves are :
| American Journal of Occupational Therapy | Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy | MIDIRS Midwifery Digest | Occupational Therapy in Mental Health |
| Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine | Health Service Journal | Midwives | Paediatric Nursing |
| British Journal of Community Nursing | Journal of Mental Health | Midwifery Matters | The Practising Midwife |
| British Journal of Midwifery | Journal of Paramedic Practice | Neonatal Network | Speech and Language Therapy in Practice |
| British Journal of Nursing | Journal of Perioperative Practice | Nursing Children & Young People | Surgery |
| British Journal of Occupational Therapy | Mental Health Practice | Nursing Times | |
| British Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitation | Mental Health Today | Occupational Therapy in Health Care |
The following dental care journals are also available in the Health section :
| Community Dental Health | 2008 - |
| Dental Nursing | 2008 - |
| European Journal of Dental Education | 2008 - |
| International Journal of Dental Hygiene | 2008 - |
| Primary Dental Care | 2008 - |
You may also find selected journals from other subjects useful, for instance some of the Pharmacy titles or Druglink, which is a Criminal Justice Studies journal about the social ramifications of drug use.
Electronic journals
Access to electronic journals for each student registered in the Universities at Medway Campus is determined by the online library services of their home institution (s) :
- University of Kent : The University of Kent webpages include a searchable list of journals subscribed to: Templeman Library Online Journals Database. You can also browse the list of Health & Biological Sciences journals from the page - sections particularly relevant to Kent courses taught at the Medway campus include Dentistry, Palliative Care, Public Health and Surgery. The list includes journals which are freely available on-line as well as the ones specifically subscribed to by the University.
- University of Greenwich : One of the services available through the Student Portal is SwetsWise (accessed via the 'Databases, journals and e-books' list on the Library & IT tab). This provides a searchable A-Z of the University's electronic journals. Once logged in to Swetswise, you need to select the Content Search menu, choose 'publication search' and click on 'all your publications' to search the list.
- Canterbury Christ Church University : To find out which journals are subscribed to by CCCU, log in to the e-Library and select 'Find e-journal'. This accesses a searchable A-Z listing of all the electronic journals that the University has access to.
Free journals
Some publishers make certain journals available on-line at no cost. Some of these are quality peer-reviewed journals and are very much worth investigating. Some examples include :
- Bioline International - scholarly journals from Africa, Asia and South America
- Directory of Open-Access Journals - Health Sciences / Dentistry - collections of journals available freely online
- Electronic journal collections - a list maintained by the British Library, detailing free online journals
- Free Medical Journals - a frequently updated guide to medical journals which are accessible freely online
- MedScape - you need to register for this site, but it provides free access to 90 titles from top publishers
- BMJ Open - an online-only, open-access journal for medical research across many disciplines
- Bone and Joint 360 - a "time saving journal for busy orthopaedic surgeons", summarising recent literature in the field
- British Journal of Cardiology - you need to register for this, but access to the articles is free for health care professionals
- Endocrine Connections - a joint venture between the Society for Endocrinology and the European Society of Endocrinology, covering metabolism, diabetes, bone disorders etc.
- Health Matters - an online magazine with the subtitle "Public health and well-being today"
Websites for Health Care
The internet can be one of the most valuable tools in your quest for information during your time at university. However, with so much information out there, it can be very hard to find the best information, or to know that you've found it when you've got it! Two documents that might help are my guide to some questions to ask about web pages and my top tips for finding information (both are PDF files).
General
- Internet for… Allied Health / Dentistry and Oral Health / Health and Social Care / Medicine / Midwifery / Nursing - free online tutorials on using the internet to find information for health.
- National Electronic Library for Medicines - an information resource which "aims to promote the safe, effective and efficient use of medicines". Updated daily.
Information Gateways
These are services which provide links to quality health and social care information on the Internet. Some are created by librarians, others by academics and others by practitioners :
- Health On the Net - an independent, international site including many useful links to health resources
- Intute: Medicine including Dentistry
- Intute: Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health
- Intute: Social Sciences
- NHS Evidence
- SearchMedica - a British search engine designed for people in the medical professions
- HealthMash - a new site with an international focus, bringing together various types of health information
Organisations
Many official organisations have a web presence which is worth investigating :
- Association for Perioperative Practice
- Department of Health - particularly see their Publications page
- Health Professions Council
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- KSS Deanery
- Mind
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
- NHS Choices
- Nursing and Midwifery Council - including a Publications page where you can download the NMC Code of Practice and other useful documents
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
Professional bodies :
- British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists
- College of Operating Department Practitioners
- College of Paramedics
- Mental Health Nurses Association
- Royal College of Midwives
- Royal College of Nursing
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Society of Radiographers
Dental organisations :
- British Association of Dental Nurses
- British Dental Association
- British Dental Health Foundation
- British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy
- British Society of Paediatric Dentistry
- Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry
- Cochrane Oral Health Group
- General Dental Council
- Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK)
Statistics and other useful information
- CASP UK - Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, designed to help with finding and interpreting evidence in health research
- Department of Health Statistics page
- NHS - The Health and Social Care Information Centre - includes statistics on many health-related areas and other sources of information to inform evidence-based practice
- South East Public Health Observatory - information on public health in the region
Libraries
You might want to visit some other libraries, particularly if you are on a long placement :
- The British Library
- Health Libraries Network - this site links to the directory and library catalogue of NHS libraries in the South East
- Health Library and Information Services Directory [HLISD] - an online searchable directory of UK local Health Library and Information Services
- Public Libraries: Medway Council
.
Databases for Health Care
Databases are collections of useful information. This might be journal articles, maps, videos, sounds, case histories, references, abstracts or almost anything else you can think of. Most databases are constantly updated with new information, and are often a great way of keeping up-to-date and discovering the newest research for your subject area. All three of the partner institutions at the Universities at Medway subscribe to a range of databases which are intended to support students in their learning and research.
- Canterbury Christ Church University provides a list of e-resources including databases etc on the E-Library. Key databases include ASSIA (social sciences - including social care and psychology), CINAHL (nursing/allied health), JISC MediaHub (for images, video and audio), Maternity and Infant Care (midwifery), Medline (many medical and health care subjects), PsycInfo (psychology/mental health) and ScienceDirect (medicine).
- University of Greenwich students can access a list of e-services (databases, journals and e-books) from the Library and IT tab on the Student Portal. Key databases include CINAHL (nursing/allied health), Medline (many medical and health care subjects), PsycInfo (psychology/mental health) and ScienceDirect (medicine).
- The University of Kent provides a list of online resources on the Templeman Library gateway. Key databases include Academic Search Complete (general), PsycInfo (psychology) and ScienceDirect (medicine).
- All three institutions provide access to the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, a very valuable resource which provides access to systematic reviews of healthcare interventions. It is regularly updated and covers every health discipline.
Free databases
There are a growing number of high-quality databases available freely online. These do not often contain a great deal of full text material, but they are extremely useful for finding out what has been written on any given topic. You can then use your own university e-resources to track down the full text of any interesting research you discover in this way.
- OT Seeker is a database for occupational therapists containing references to systematic reviews and clinical trials.
- PsycBITE describes itself as a database of "studies of cognitive, behavioural and other treatments for psychological problems and issues occurring as a consequence of acquired brain impairment (ABI)".
- Pubmed is probably the most famous, and almost certainly the most comprehensive free database covering biomedicine and related disciplines. It can take a while to get to grips with searching on Pubmed, but it is well worth taking the time and effort, as many publications are indexed on here, particularly North American medical journals. Some of the research on here is available freely online - this is often research that was sponsored by the US government. For more information, see my PubMed for Dental Care guide (general guide to follow!).
- SpeechBITE is a database of citations and abstracts of interest to speech and language therapists, speech pathologists and other related professions. It covers systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and other forms of evidence.
- TRIP database is a tool for discovering clinical evidence, including systematic reviews, guidance, primary research and much more. Based in South Wales, this site offers a different way to search the Cochrane Library, Bandolier and other well-known sources for evidence-based practice in medicine and healthcare. TRIP stands for Turning Research Into Practice.
Librarian
As your subject librarian, you can come to me for help on information and library-related matters. Whether you are having trouble using the catalogue, need some advice on internet searching, want to know more about databases or are stuck with referencing, I am the person to ask!
I also run training sessions when asked by academics from the courses I support, and am often involved with modules on research skills or evidence-based practice.
Study skills
If you need help with study skills in general, including academic writing, then help is available from your university :
Canterbury Christ Church University students should contact the i-zone in Cathedral Court, who can put you in touch with the study skills advisors. Useful web resources from CCCU include :
- Student Support Services - includes Student Study Support
- Graduate Skills - many resources to help with all sorts of key university skills
- Turnitin - details about the 'plagiarism detection' software CCCU uses
- For referencing (including Harvard), see the Referencing tab in Blackboard
University of Greenwich students should contact the Study Skills team in the Blake building. Useful web resources from the University of Greenwich include :
- Study Skills - resources, plus contact details for the Study Skills Team
- Referencing
- PLATO - a resource for understanding plagiarism
- Progression in Information Skills - an online course accessible via the Portal and Moodle, covering how to find quality information, avoid plagiarism, cite your references and much more
University of Kent students should contact SLAS (Student Learning and Advisory Service), who have an office in the Drill Hall Library. Useful resources from the University of Kent include :
- Academic Integrity - including advice on referencing and avoiding plagiarism
- Student Skills and Learning Development - online resources for all areas of academic skills training
Students from all 3 universities can see Stephen Wakelam, Royal Literary Fund Fellow. He is based in an office in the Drill Hall Library on Wednesdays and Thursdays and can offer useful advice on writing skills.
Library resources for study skills
You will also find lots of helpful books on study skills in the Library. Some useful classmarks for study skills topics include :
- 001.42 - general research skills
- 025.04 - internet research
- 025.0661 - the internet for health
- 378.170281 - higher education study skills
- 808.066 - academic writing skills, including referencing and avoiding plagiarism
- 808.06661 - writing skills for health students
- 808.51 - giving presentations
