Homepage: Training

Ask questions, seek assistance, or simply connect with library staff.

Bring your lunch and join us online to discover how the library can support you with finding the best evidence and information for patient care, assignments, research, service improvement and professional development.

In this dynamic half-hour training session, participants will learn how to seamlessly access journal articles using powerful tools like BrowZine, LibKey.io, and LibKey Nomad. Discover the quickest routes to obtaining full-text articles, ensuring a smoother research experience.

Attend if: you want to save time obtaining full text journal articles

What does it involve?

A 2 hour session with a mix of presentation and practical exercises. Topics covered include critical thinking, referencing and writing essays

Who is it for?

Anyone who is about to start or has just started a course and would benefit from some initial guidanc

Learn how to use a single interface (NHS Knowledge & Library Hub) to access free authoritative resources such as full text articles, books and other resources. We will be introducing the most widely used and respected research tool for health professionals and students. In this session we will look at keyword (free text) searching, refining search results, viewing, printing & emailing results. 

Previous experience required:  None required

Attendees will learn how to effectively and efficiently search medical/healthcare databases with NHS OpenAthens log in , as well as how to save searches and references, and to create and maintain a bibliography. You will be introduced to advanced search concepts on Ovid Medline. In this session we will look at Subject Searching, combining search results, saving and re-running saved searches, creating, and sharing custom folders.

Content:

• Formulating an appropriate search question
• Learn how to use filters to find relevant information quickly.
• Save and retrieve searches using personalised features.
• Tips and hints on finding full text articles using LibKey Nomad, Browzine or Libkey io

Attend if: 

You need to quickly find articles, books or grey literature for your assignment, presentation or research.

Previous experience required: familiarity with using computers and you have had no prior training in how to search databases

This session will introduce advanced search concepts for searching Ovid MEDLINE. In this session we will look at developing a complex search strategy, incorporating wildcards and proximity search operators, running freetext and MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) searches, and applying available filters to focus search results. In addition, saving and exporting search results in bibliographic management software, will also be demonstrated.

Content:

• Formulating an appropriate search question
• Identifying and understanding the different types of evidence
• Using search engines and evidence tools such as Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase to find good quality health care information
• Downloading and saving references

Attend if:

• You need to find the best evidence to support patient care or service improvement
• You need to search the primary literature for your research project or dissertation, or for the purposes of audit
• You are required to do any form of literature review, including systematic reviews
• You are embarking on a course of study, are writing an assignment, are returning to study or are researching a CPD topic

Previous experience required: some experience of using the internet is required; a familiarity with journal literature would also be useful.

Duration: 1 hour

This course will help you understand how to critically evaluate medical research articles, with a particular emphasis on evaluating the reliability, trustworthiness, and applicability of research output in informing evidence-based practice and decision-making in a healthcare context.

Content:

• Formulating a focussed research question
• Understanding different research designs
• Using CASP check list to critique a randomised control trial

Attend if:

• you need to be able to judge the quality of published health care research in order to make decisions about patient care or service development;
• you are carrying out a literature review or systematic review;
• you are presenting at a journal club.

Previous experience required: the session works equally well as a refresher or introductory session on critical appraisal of quantitative research.

Duration: 2.5 hours

Nearly half the adults in England (43%) struggle to understand health information. Learn about new tools to identify local levels of health literacy and techniques for improving health literacy through communication, navigation, knowledge-building, and advocacy to tackle the issue and to improve patient experience and outcome.

Join us for an informative and concise training session on harnessing the power of EndNote Online, the leading reference management system. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the ins and outs of efficiently organizing, citing, and managing references.

• Overview of the function of EndNote Basic (web version)
• Inputting and importing references into EndNote
• Storing and managing your references
• Including references in your Word document
• Advice on how to reference can also be provided, although this will not be part of the session unless specifically requested

Note: Teaching will be offered on the web version of EndNote as participants can access the resource from anywhere. A more advanced Desktop version of EndNote is provided on selected Library PCs; contact the library to arrange a session on using this version.

Attend if: you want to save time referencing or creating bibliographies in the documents you produce.

Previous experience required: familiarity with using computers.

This is sessions will introduce you to many of our clinical at the point of care decision making tools including Up To Date and BMJ Best Practice.

You will be able to discover many of the useful tips and techniques to search and find answers to clinical questions in your clinical practice.