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Libraries offer lifelong learning
APRIL 1985, VOL 41, NO 4
AORN J O U R N A L
Education Libraries offer lifelong learning
T
he 1985 theme of National Library Week, scheduled for April 14 to 20, is “Nation of Readers.” This theme was prompted by Librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin’s remark, “Reading is not simply a skill or a consumer activity, it is an experience and it has been part of our whole national experience.”’ Unquestionably, literacy and libraries are valuable commodities to the general public. Reading is not simply a skill or personal activity; it is an educational experience and an ongoing part of our professional lives. To celebrate libraries, and highlight all they provide in the continuing education and professional growth of perioperative nurses, this April column offers an interview with AORN Headquarters librarians, Sara Katsh and Becky Berg.
K J What is the purpose of National Library Week? B B It is an annual event designed to publicize our nation’s libraries and encourage support and continued use of these resources. K J Sara, does this purpose apply to all libraries? SK The purpose is certainly applicable to all types of libraries, although traditionally it has only been observed by public and school libraries.Now, perhaps more than ever, small specialized libraries need to increase their visibility, lest they suffer at the hands of the budget slicers. K J Of the many libraries, which is the most important to nurses? SK For the nurse employed in a hospital, the hospital library is herlhis first contact. Even if the subject of a query is not health-related, the 1776
hospital library provides a m to a whole network of libraries. BB: The degree of importance of a particular library depends on what you need at a particular time. For example, if you are working on a BSN, MSN, etc, you will need access to a college/ university collection. Public libraries provide recreational materials, but they also have information about computer use, taxes, consumer health, management theories, self-improvement ideas, government documents, etc. Many public libraries also lend records, tapes, cameras, and paintings. A hospital library can provide a wide range of current and historical information about nursing, allied health, and medicine. KJ: Now I know why libraries get a whole week of recognition. Your comments support my experiences with libraries. You both know I’m a believer. Now, why would you both like to see OR nurses using libraries frequently? SK First, every field of health care, including perioperative nursing, is changing at a phenomenal rate. Keeping up with current literature is mandatory for maintaining competence. Second, anyone involved in continuing education (student or instructor) needs a library. And thirdly, in many areas, notably in the OR, the issue is no longer merely competence but economic survival. Studying the new management and budgeting techniques, for example, might be a key step in adjusting to the new financial climate in hospitals. B B Libraries also provide access to current information on infection control, instrument and equipment changes, surgical techniques, interper-
AORN J O U R N A L
sonal relations, and communication. K J Aside from the benefits gained from library use you’ve both listed, aren’t there more personal aspects like saving money by borrowing rather than buying books? B B You also save time. Even if you own a large personal library of journals and books, you might not have the time to index and organize them. Resources already exist in your library in a variety of formats-print and automated indexes and abstracts, author-title-subject catalogs, directories, and encyclopedias. KJ: If you could suggest one library skill an individual should acquire, what would it be? SK It is difficult to isolate one skill, but I would say learn what the librarian can do for you; he/ she is the appropriate point of access into the system. Also keep in mind the “system” is not limited to what’s on the shelves in a specificlibrary. BB: Familiarity with the “information locators”-the indexes. An awareness of and the use of these tools can make an enormous difference in locating needed information. KJ: If I were a hospital employee, which services could a hospital library provide for me? BB: Although every library is unique because it tries to provide specialized resources and services for its particular users, all librariesdo provide many of the same basic services. Health sciences library users are fortunate, because of a well-established network that exists among these libraries. Their users have access to the entire range of health sciences literature, through interlibrary loan and other cooperative programs. Many regions also have cooperative programs among different kinds of libraries, so your hospital library may also have access to a variety of other special topics (eg, legal, environmental,governmental,educational, foreign language, etc). K J Doesn’t the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) have standards for hospital libraries? SK Yes. The JCAH standards state that, “The hospital shall provide library services . . .”* In addition, the Medical Library Association has published detailed standards for hospital libraries. KJ: Before we conclude this interview, I would like to hear more about our library here at AORN 778
APRIL 1985, VOL 41, NO 4
Headquarters. Sara, you were the first librarian hired by AORN. When was that, and what kind of library was in place at that time? SK: I came to AORN in 1972, when the “library” was a pile of books in a hallway. We now have a “real” library of approximately 2,500 books and 200 journal subscriptions, equivalent in size to many small hospital libraries, although more specialized in scope. K J Becky, you and Sara both have MA degrees in library science, which makes you both well qualified. When did you join the staff as Sara’s assistant, and how does AORNs library compare to other libraries? BB: I joined AORN in 1982. Smaller specialized libraries like ours are difficult to place on any kind of a comparative scale because they tend to reflect their parent institution. However, from a slightly biased point of view, I believe our library offers an excellent core health science collection, an outstanding nursing collection, and a unique collection of operating room nursing materials. K J There are more than 32,000 AORN members now, so I know it is impossible for you to handle members’ individual requests for help. What can you do for individuals? SK You’re right, Kathy. At this time, we do not have the staff available to answer individual members’ questions. We try to refer calls or letters from individual members to the person or organization that can answer the question. That might be a hospital library, a local university library, another organization such as a governmental ofice or a publisher, or even another department within Headquarters. Our contribution to the Association is through the support we provide for the Headquarters staff, the Board, and National Committees. We also provide support to other libraries, so our library’s resources are available nationwide through interlibrary loan and other library network programs. KJ: Do either of you have one last word of advice? BB: Make the time soon in your busy schedule to get to know your library. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover the range of services that are waiting for you. SK: Don’t think you need to be self-sufficient
AORN J O U R N A L
in the library. Forget the old image of the librarian as a dour withholder of information. Our job is to get the information to you and you to the information. KJ Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. The occurrence of National Library Week is a good reminder about the important Place libraries have in our lives. I hope this column alerts Journal readers to the Variety Of library resources available to them in their respective
Flu-like Symptoms From Carbon Monoxide Flu-like symptoms and headaches can be signs of carbon monoxide exposure, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology. Five members of one family were exposed to an improperly ventilated heating unit, according to Lance S. Ferguson, MD, and colleagues from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Two died as a result of exposure to the carbon monoxide, one suffered severe visual loss from retinal hemorrhages, and two regained full health. They reported a five-day history of headache and flu-like symptoms before losing consciousness. “Had they been examined during this period, recognition of these hemorrhages may have averted the tragic consequences of this incident,” according to the researchers.
CDC Urges High-Risk Groups to Get HB Vaccine At a recent forum James Mason, MD, DrPH, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, told spokespersons from public health agencies and private organizations to urge those at high risk of Hepatitis B to be immunized. Dr Mason warned that public and health professionals have been lackadaisical about the increase in numbers of Hepatitis B carriers, according to an 780
APRIL 1985, VOL 41, N O 4
communities. KATHLEEN JUSTICE, RN PROGRAM SPECIALIST
CONTINUING EDUCATION Notes 1. “‘Nation of Readers’ theme involves your community,” Ame,.jcan Ljbrarje3 (January 1985) 58, 2. Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, 1985 (Chicago: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals) 145.
article published in the January issue of The Nation S Health. What worries health officials the most is that three-quarters of the people who contact the disease never know they are carriers. Hepatitis B is said to cause about 80%of the world‘s primary liver cancers. According to CDC figures, it is said to have increased by about 6876, over about six years, to up to 60 cases per 100,OOO population last year. Those becoming chronic carriersabout 10%of all cases-may be infecting others, and they themselves stand a one in four chance of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer. Because the disease is spread through blood and other bodily fluids, Mason told the audience that Hepatitis B is increasing probably for the same reasons that AIDS is, ie, alternative sexual habits and drug use. Increasing the concern is new evidence of a virus called the Delta agent, which works in association with Hepatitis B to cause the disease; researchers say the Delta agent has a fatality rate of 20%. Those groups at risk of contracting Hepatitis B include health care workers, homosexuals, IV drug users, institutionalized mentally ill persons, prisoners, and kidney dialysis patients.
AORN J O U R N A L
Education Libraries offer lifelong learning
T
he 1985 theme of National Library Week, scheduled for April 14 to 20, is “Nation of Readers.” This theme was prompted by Librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin’s remark, “Reading is not simply a skill or a consumer activity, it is an experience and it has been part of our whole national experience.”’ Unquestionably, literacy and libraries are valuable commodities to the general public. Reading is not simply a skill or personal activity; it is an educational experience and an ongoing part of our professional lives. To celebrate libraries, and highlight all they provide in the continuing education and professional growth of perioperative nurses, this April column offers an interview with AORN Headquarters librarians, Sara Katsh and Becky Berg.
K J What is the purpose of National Library Week? B B It is an annual event designed to publicize our nation’s libraries and encourage support and continued use of these resources. K J Sara, does this purpose apply to all libraries? SK The purpose is certainly applicable to all types of libraries, although traditionally it has only been observed by public and school libraries.Now, perhaps more than ever, small specialized libraries need to increase their visibility, lest they suffer at the hands of the budget slicers. K J Of the many libraries, which is the most important to nurses? SK For the nurse employed in a hospital, the hospital library is herlhis first contact. Even if the subject of a query is not health-related, the 1776
hospital library provides a m to a whole network of libraries. BB: The degree of importance of a particular library depends on what you need at a particular time. For example, if you are working on a BSN, MSN, etc, you will need access to a college/ university collection. Public libraries provide recreational materials, but they also have information about computer use, taxes, consumer health, management theories, self-improvement ideas, government documents, etc. Many public libraries also lend records, tapes, cameras, and paintings. A hospital library can provide a wide range of current and historical information about nursing, allied health, and medicine. KJ: Now I know why libraries get a whole week of recognition. Your comments support my experiences with libraries. You both know I’m a believer. Now, why would you both like to see OR nurses using libraries frequently? SK First, every field of health care, including perioperative nursing, is changing at a phenomenal rate. Keeping up with current literature is mandatory for maintaining competence. Second, anyone involved in continuing education (student or instructor) needs a library. And thirdly, in many areas, notably in the OR, the issue is no longer merely competence but economic survival. Studying the new management and budgeting techniques, for example, might be a key step in adjusting to the new financial climate in hospitals. B B Libraries also provide access to current information on infection control, instrument and equipment changes, surgical techniques, interper-
AORN J O U R N A L
sonal relations, and communication. K J Aside from the benefits gained from library use you’ve both listed, aren’t there more personal aspects like saving money by borrowing rather than buying books? B B You also save time. Even if you own a large personal library of journals and books, you might not have the time to index and organize them. Resources already exist in your library in a variety of formats-print and automated indexes and abstracts, author-title-subject catalogs, directories, and encyclopedias. KJ: If you could suggest one library skill an individual should acquire, what would it be? SK It is difficult to isolate one skill, but I would say learn what the librarian can do for you; he/ she is the appropriate point of access into the system. Also keep in mind the “system” is not limited to what’s on the shelves in a specificlibrary. BB: Familiarity with the “information locators”-the indexes. An awareness of and the use of these tools can make an enormous difference in locating needed information. KJ: If I were a hospital employee, which services could a hospital library provide for me? BB: Although every library is unique because it tries to provide specialized resources and services for its particular users, all librariesdo provide many of the same basic services. Health sciences library users are fortunate, because of a well-established network that exists among these libraries. Their users have access to the entire range of health sciences literature, through interlibrary loan and other cooperative programs. Many regions also have cooperative programs among different kinds of libraries, so your hospital library may also have access to a variety of other special topics (eg, legal, environmental,governmental,educational, foreign language, etc). K J Doesn’t the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) have standards for hospital libraries? SK Yes. The JCAH standards state that, “The hospital shall provide library services . . .”* In addition, the Medical Library Association has published detailed standards for hospital libraries. KJ: Before we conclude this interview, I would like to hear more about our library here at AORN 778
APRIL 1985, VOL 41, NO 4
Headquarters. Sara, you were the first librarian hired by AORN. When was that, and what kind of library was in place at that time? SK: I came to AORN in 1972, when the “library” was a pile of books in a hallway. We now have a “real” library of approximately 2,500 books and 200 journal subscriptions, equivalent in size to many small hospital libraries, although more specialized in scope. K J Becky, you and Sara both have MA degrees in library science, which makes you both well qualified. When did you join the staff as Sara’s assistant, and how does AORNs library compare to other libraries? BB: I joined AORN in 1982. Smaller specialized libraries like ours are difficult to place on any kind of a comparative scale because they tend to reflect their parent institution. However, from a slightly biased point of view, I believe our library offers an excellent core health science collection, an outstanding nursing collection, and a unique collection of operating room nursing materials. K J There are more than 32,000 AORN members now, so I know it is impossible for you to handle members’ individual requests for help. What can you do for individuals? SK You’re right, Kathy. At this time, we do not have the staff available to answer individual members’ questions. We try to refer calls or letters from individual members to the person or organization that can answer the question. That might be a hospital library, a local university library, another organization such as a governmental ofice or a publisher, or even another department within Headquarters. Our contribution to the Association is through the support we provide for the Headquarters staff, the Board, and National Committees. We also provide support to other libraries, so our library’s resources are available nationwide through interlibrary loan and other library network programs. KJ: Do either of you have one last word of advice? BB: Make the time soon in your busy schedule to get to know your library. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover the range of services that are waiting for you. SK: Don’t think you need to be self-sufficient
AORN J O U R N A L
in the library. Forget the old image of the librarian as a dour withholder of information. Our job is to get the information to you and you to the information. KJ Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. The occurrence of National Library Week is a good reminder about the important Place libraries have in our lives. I hope this column alerts Journal readers to the Variety Of library resources available to them in their respective
Flu-like Symptoms From Carbon Monoxide Flu-like symptoms and headaches can be signs of carbon monoxide exposure, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology. Five members of one family were exposed to an improperly ventilated heating unit, according to Lance S. Ferguson, MD, and colleagues from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Two died as a result of exposure to the carbon monoxide, one suffered severe visual loss from retinal hemorrhages, and two regained full health. They reported a five-day history of headache and flu-like symptoms before losing consciousness. “Had they been examined during this period, recognition of these hemorrhages may have averted the tragic consequences of this incident,” according to the researchers.
CDC Urges High-Risk Groups to Get HB Vaccine At a recent forum James Mason, MD, DrPH, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, told spokespersons from public health agencies and private organizations to urge those at high risk of Hepatitis B to be immunized. Dr Mason warned that public and health professionals have been lackadaisical about the increase in numbers of Hepatitis B carriers, according to an 780
APRIL 1985, VOL 41, N O 4
communities. KATHLEEN JUSTICE, RN PROGRAM SPECIALIST
CONTINUING EDUCATION Notes 1. “‘Nation of Readers’ theme involves your community,” Ame,.jcan Ljbrarje3 (January 1985) 58, 2. Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, 1985 (Chicago: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals) 145.
article published in the January issue of The Nation S Health. What worries health officials the most is that three-quarters of the people who contact the disease never know they are carriers. Hepatitis B is said to cause about 80%of the world‘s primary liver cancers. According to CDC figures, it is said to have increased by about 6876, over about six years, to up to 60 cases per 100,OOO population last year. Those becoming chronic carriersabout 10%of all cases-may be infecting others, and they themselves stand a one in four chance of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer. Because the disease is spread through blood and other bodily fluids, Mason told the audience that Hepatitis B is increasing probably for the same reasons that AIDS is, ie, alternative sexual habits and drug use. Increasing the concern is new evidence of a virus called the Delta agent, which works in association with Hepatitis B to cause the disease; researchers say the Delta agent has a fatality rate of 20%. Those groups at risk of contracting Hepatitis B include health care workers, homosexuals, IV drug users, institutionalized mentally ill persons, prisoners, and kidney dialysis patients.