The NURSLITT Study: Nurses' Understanding Regarding Search Limits Informing Their Topics

Friday, April 29, 2022

1:00 PM – 1:05 PM CT

Presenter and Author(s)

Eleanor Truex

Medical Librarian, Chicago Metro Region for AMITA Health
AMITA Saint Joseph Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

Slides

Author(s)

SV

Susan C. Vonderheid, PhD, RN

Clinical Assistant Professor, UIC; Director Nursing Research, UIH
College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC); University of Illinois Hospital (UIH), Illinois
ES

Emily N. Spinner, MSIS, MA

Research Innovator and Informationist
Ellis Medical Library
Schenectady, New York
SW

Sarah Wade, MLS, AHIP

Assistant Medical Librarian
Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Lillington, North Carolina
JH

Jean Hillyer, MAE, MLS, AHIP

Assistant Director, Learning Resource Center retired
Baylor University, School of Nursing
Double Oak, Texas
CC

Courtney Calhoun, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, CHSE

Nursing Instructor
Nursing
Bailey, North Carolina
GW

Grace Wolf, MLS

Instruction and Outreach Librarian
Central Carolina Community College, North Carolina
A'Llyn Ettien, MLIS, AHIP

Collections Management Librarian
BU Alumni Medical Library
Boston, Massachusetts
RH

Rebecca Hedreen, MLIS, MAEd, MSBio

Librarian
Research & Instruction
New Haven, Connecticut
LH

Layla Heimlich, MILS

Medical Librarian
William B. Glew, MD, Health Sciences Library, MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Bethesda, Maryland
Annie Nickum, BSN MLIS AHIP

Assistant Professor & Information Services Librarian
Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Objectives: To explore the use of common stringent literature search criteria (i.e. the 5 year rule; nurse as author, and primary study) applied by nursing students and nurses, and their subsequent attitudes toward and engagement in evidence-based practice and research from the perspectives of medical librarians, direct care nurses, nursing faculty, and student nurses.

Methods: Our design is a qualitative descriptive study using online focus group interviews of the four target populations. We conducted a minimum 3 focus groups per target population which allowed us to obtain rich, detailed information (saturation) to achieve our study purpose.

Sample: Convenience and purposive sampling is being used to create a study sample of medical librarians, direct care nurses, nursing faculty, and student nurses that represents variation in geographical regions across the USA. Inclusion criteria were registered nurses with a terminal degree of ADN or BSN; faculty who teach in ADN or BSN degree programs; health sciences librarian, and undergraduate nursing students.

Analysis: Content analysis is being conducted to identify key words and phrases that represent themes throughout the four study populations. Participant socio-demographics and other characteristics will be analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: We have completed focus groups for all of the four populations. Preliminary analysis reveals several common themes across the populations such as prioritizing a date range ("5 year rule") when searching the nursing literature, "nurse as author", and attitudes toward searching. The limit "nurse as author" was generally viewed as a positive by all nurses, regardless of their current role in the profession. “Primary study” was not commonly used and is seen as a vague term not readily understood by all groups. Attitudes toward literature searching varied, but hesitation due to various reasons predominated. We have completed focus groups with three of the four populations.

Conclusions: Our initial premise that the “5 year rule” criterion, a stringent parameter for searching the nursing literature, is ubiquitous appears to be borne out by discussions had with medical librarians, nursing faculty, student nurses, and direct care RNs. This presentation will report on the responses we received regarding those stringent criteria.