Sonya Franklin, left, associate professor of nursing, and Mary Evelyn Lynn, right, director of Library Services, assist nursing students Sonya Butler, left, and Rachel Wilcoxon, right, with electronic clinical research by using iPads and an iPhone.
Most recently, they even have mobile access to e-books to assist them as they study and research their patient care.
The CSCC Library participates in a statewide Tennessee Board of Regents agreement providing an online “bookshelf” of 15 electronic clinical research tools that will assist students and cover all aspects of the nursing profession.
“I conduct the training for the nursing students on what resources are available to them as clinical professionals in addition to what is provided to them by the Cleveland State Library,” stated Mary Evelyn Lynn, director of Library Services.
“We stress to them the importance of maintaining excellent information research skills in their chosen clinical profession.”
Sonya Franklin, associate professor of nursing, said, “The CSCC Library staff are some of the most helpful and supportive folks on campus. Since I began teaching here in 2009, they have assisted me with research, adding SearchPath into the freshmen nursing course, cleaning up our electronic reserves and providing an orientation for our students on how to use the online resources that are available to them,” she added.
“Our students love it! They love being allowed the flexibility of both the online and the mobile access,” stated Lynn. “The mobile access is great for those students who may not have access to a computer at all times.”
Lynn said they track the students’ usage of the electronic bookshelf, and Cleveland State’s is one of the highest in the state.
Franklin said, “I receive updates from the Library staff on how much my students are accessing the available resources so I can make informed decisions about adding to the electronic versions of books and journals. It is early in the semester for our students. Over the next several weeks, they will begin to access the online resources more and more as they develop their research skills.”
Nursing student Sonya Butler, said, “It has been well over 20 years since I have had to access any school library. I have to admit, I was hesitant, and very intimidated at first. The instructions we were given on how to navigate through and find any book or article needed made it so simple. Kudos to the CSCC Library, and thank you so much for making it so easy for those of us who had essentially forgotten how to find the resources needed to succeed as a student.”
Before the students had online or mobile access, Lynn said she used to see students working on their care plans on Saturday mornings, and they would be sitting with 10 or 15 books spread out in front of them.
Care plans are the standard assignment which students use to document their patient care as they prepare to go to their clinical experiences. Each of the patients must have a plan of care, and there are certain standards, references, etc., that must be included.
Nursing student Rachel Wilcoxon said, “The online library resources benefited me because I can now access information for research in one area versus looking in many different areas and getting information that is irrelevant to my studies.”
Lynn said, “I’m so glad that our students are able to take advantage of these new mobile tools. This technology is just right there at their fingertips; I think it is going to greatly improve their knowledge base and the care they provide their patients.”
Dr. Jerry Faulkner, vice president for Academic Affairs, said, “Wireless Internet access and mobile devices have forever changed how we store and access information. Health care is just one of the many industries that expects employees to have the skills necessary to function effectively in a digital information age; this is just another example of how the college strives to be sure our graduates are on the cutting edge of technology.”
.
