Monthly Archives: March 2017

Library launches new Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Portal

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Where do I look for the best evidence to answer a clinical question? 

The Library is excited to launch a new portal, Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)!

With an estimated 2,000 new articles indexed daily in PubMed, finding evidence-based answers can be overwhelming. Even knowing where to start searching the Library’s numerous subscribed resources and key websites can be daunting!

To assist and streamline searching this portal, the Library’s resources are organized in the EBP Pyramid’s three categories:

  1. Filtered/pre-appraised resources appraise the quality of studies, often making recommendations for practice and to save time (i.e., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate, National Guideline Clearinghouse).
  2. Unfiltered/unappraised resources are the databases of original studies (i.e., MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase).
  3. Background information/resources link to select textbooks.

Note: The new Evidence-Based Portal replaces the existing Clinical Evidence Portal, which will be sunsetted at the end of March; please update your bookmarks accordingly.

For more information on EBP, click on the Portal’s horizontal tabs or links listed in the left sidebar of the Portal’s home page. Questions? Please complete the Ask Us form or call 214-648-2001.

Coming in April – Key Class Series!

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Attend any or all of the “Key Classes” of our most frequently requested topics! Classes are free, hands-on, and open to all faculty, students, clinicians, and staff of UT Southwestern Medical Center and the University Hospitals. Don’t delay: register now in Taleo Learn, but be advised that seating is limited!

For more information on the “Key Classes” or other training/class topics, please email LibAsk@utsouthwestern.edu or call 214-648-2001.

Class Title: Expert Database Searching
Location: Clements University Hospital, Conference Room 3.512
Date: April 4, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. – noon

Locate electronic full-text articles using the Library’s wide range of databases, including Ovid MEDLINE®, Embase®, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus. Learn how to utilize Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords to narrow your search to locate exactly what you’re looking for. Each database has its own unique way to search effectively and one method does not fit all. You are welcome to bring your laptop computer.

Class Title: EndNote X8 Citation Management
Location: Clements University Hospital, Conference Room 6.422
Date: April 11, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. – noon

How much time do you spend on your reference section? This key class will include:

  • Creating and organizing an EndNote library
  • Adding references to a library both manually and by using direct export or filters
  • Using the “Group” function to organize references
  • Inserting and editing citations in a Word document using EndNote’s Cite While You Write (CWYW) function
  • Formatting references in different reference or output styles

For personal assistance with your EndNote library, please bring your laptop computer.

Class Title: Evidence-Based Practice
Location: Clements University Hospital, Conference Room 6.314
Date: April 18, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. – noon

Evidence-based practice is an approach to clinical practice that revolves around the use of the best available clinical evidence when making treatment decisions about individual patients. One of the biggest challenges of evidence-based practice is locating and identifying the best available clinical evidence, and determining which resources to use when gathering evidence. This class will introduce the number of systems developed for the identification of best evidence resources for clinical evaluation. You are welcome to bring your laptop computer.

Class Title: Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis
Location: Clements University Hospital, Conference Room 6.314
Date: April 25, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. – noon

This class will review methods used by those performing systematic reviews and meta-analysis, including building a team and formulating a research question and hypothesis, as well as methods for searching the literature, abstracting information, and synthesizing the evidence both qualitatively and quantitatively. We will also cover how to formulate an answerable research question; define inclusion and exclusion criteria; search for the evidence; extract data; assess the risk of bias in the underlying studies; perform qualitative synthesis, meta-analysis, and sensitivity analysis; and assess meta-bias. You are welcome to bring your laptop computer.