Library Services looks back at 2024

It was a busy year for Library Services. Some highlights include:

  • seeing a five-year high for literature search requests with 1,298 completed searches. 
  • presented twice as many library presentations in 2024 than 2023. This resulted in nearly 1,200 Care Team Members accessing information on how to use the library and our tools.
  • filled 5,607 full-text articles and interlibrary loans to staff.
  • developed six new specialty library guides. 
  • added 57 new e-books to our collection.

Through our services, resources and tools, Library Services supports everything from evidence-based clinical policies and practices to patient safety to direct patient care. Learn how you can work with us.

We look forward to supporting even more of you with your important work this year. View our 2024 Annual Report here.

AI is Reshaping Medical Literature

 

AI has led to exciting new breakthroughs across multiple specialties including better polyp detection in colonoscopies, more targeted medications in primary care and reducing diagnostic errors. 

 

One downside from these AI-related breakthroughs is the lack of guardrails and detection mechanisms for AI-generated content in medical literature.

 

Why it matters: AI-generated literature in clinical journals poses three risks to academic and public interest: 

  • Difficulty for average citizens and scientists to determine AI-generated text from genuine research.
  • Fake or disreputable studies will eventually flood even reputable databases (e.g. UpToDate, Micromedex) with dubious information or nonsensical content.
  • Potential, serious harm to the public from an abrupt loss in confidence with scientific data.

 Dig deeper: Harvard Kennedy School’s Misinformation Review found that two-thirds of scientific research in Google Scholar shows evidence of ChatGPT-generated content. Of that, 14.5% of health and clinical studies contained ChatGPT-fabricated data.

 

The way to win: Library Services can help steer you to reliable, peer-reviewed literature for decision-making and evidence-based research. 

 

The  National Black Nurses Association:  from invisibility to influence 

 

Professional associations can be powerful tools to promote and nurture their members’ careers and professional identities, as well as help drive policy changes.   In celebration of Black History Month, we are highlighting The National Black Nurses Association. The NBNA was founded in 1971 and according to the current president, Sheldon Fields, PhD, RN, it was created to advance healthcare for all communities, but with a special emphasis on historically underserved, marginalized black and other communities of color.  With that broader goal, NBNA promotes community service, health policy and advocacy, workforce expansion, and professional development.  An example of NBNA’s advocacy, along with the Black Nurse Collaborative, an associated group, was the work done around COVID-19.  According to the website, there are over 4,200 members from over 100 chapters from 33 states (including Minnesota).