Placement Students
Whilst on placement with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (LPFT) or United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) you can access the following library resources and services.
NHS OpenAthens
Whilst you are on a placement you are entitled to a NHS OpenAthens account.
You can self-register for an account. You will need to enter your placement organisation (either LCHS, LPFT or ULHT).
Please select 'Students - placement' as your job role. You will also need to enter your placement expiry date.
This will enable you to access journal articles, eBooks and online resources for the duration of your placement.
Library Sites
Whilst on placement you can access the library sites. Please contact your local library to arrange access.
WiFi is available on the hospital sites through NHSWIFI.
Computers are available at all the library sites. You don’t need to book – just turn up and use. Access to computers requires a Trust username and password. Please contact your placement supervisor to obtain these for the Trust you are placed with.
Library Catalogue
You will need to complete a membership form to borrow books.
Please make sure that you complete the sections of the form that relate to placement students.
The majority of books are held at the libraries at Grantham and Pilgrim Hospitals, we also have a small selection at Lincoln Hospital. Reserved books will be sent to your preferred library for collection.
Please view the catalogue to see what books are available to borrow. You can also use the catalogue to reserve and renew items.
You can borrow up to 16 items at any one time.
Most books are 6 week loans and are auto renewed 5 times as long as they are not reserved.
Books are available for loan only during your placement dates. Please ensure you return all books before your placement ends.
Failure to do so will result in the library contacting your educational establishment.
If you have any further placements with LCHS, LPFT or ULHT and you would like library access again you should inform a ULHT member of library staff who will update your account.
Current Awareness
You can access the bulletins that are freely available on the website.
When you become a NHS staff member you will be able to access other alerting services e.g. Knowledgeshare.
These alerting options will vary depending on what the local library service offers.
Literature Searching and Training
Literature searching is where the librarians look for information on a topic on your behalf.
Training is where we show you the healthcare databases and help you to construct a search strategy.
These services are not available to you as a full-time student but will be available once you are a member of NHS staff.
For assistance with training please contact the subject librarians at your University.
Knowledge and Library Hub
The NHS Knowledge and Library Hub connects health care staff and learners to high quality, NHS-funded, knowledge and evidence resources in one place, using a single search.
There is a video available on how you can use the Hub.
Below are some of the resources that will be available to you whilst on placement.
BMJ Best Practice
BMJ Best Practice takes you quickly and accurately to the latest evidence-based information, whenever and wherever you need it. Step by step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention is updated regularly using robust evidence based methodology and expert opinion. There is a video on searching and browsing BMJ Best Practice. More tutorial videos can be found here BMJ Best Practice for NHS staff and learners in England.
British National Formulary (BNF)
BNF provides key information on the selection, prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines.
British National Formulary for Children (BNFC)
BNFC provides key information on the selection, prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines used for children.
Healthcare Databases
Information on the databases and help on how to search them is available on the Hub. There is also Trip - a smart, fast tool to find high quality clinical research evidence.
The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry
The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry is the essential evidence-based handbook on the safe and effective prescribing of psychotropic agents.
NICE Guidance
These are evidence-based recommendations developed by independent committees, including professionals and lay members, and consulted on by stakeholders.
Royal Marsden Manual
The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical and Cancer Nursing Procedures is a tool to enable nurses to access the latest research relevant to practice quickly and easily from a trustworthy source.
eLearning for Healthcare (elfh)
There are the following eLearning courses available:
Critically Appraising the Evidence Base
The critical appraisal programme has been designed to enable the healthcare workforce (clinical and non-clinical) to build confidence in the critical appraisal process when applying and evaluating research.
Literature Searching
These literature searching modules are designed to help the healthcare workforce (clinical and non-clinical) build confidence to search published literature for articles and evidence relevant to their work, study and research. The modules are short (each taking no more than 20 minutes to complete) and may be ‘dipped into’ for reference, or completed to obtain a certificate.
Health Literacy
Health literacy is about people having enough knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to use health information, to be active partners in their care, and to navigate health and social care systems. Therefore, to access, assess and apply health information, people need to be health literate. This health literacy programme helps people working in health and social care to become aware of health literacy and of the techniques that can help to increase understanding.
Health Library and Information Services Directory (HLISD)
If you have a future placement with another Trust then you can find your nearest NHS Library Service on HLISD.
This is a comprehensive directory of health libraries and information services across the United Kingdom.