title: Preparing for Post-Registration Education and Practice (PREP): the support role of the library.
abstract: A survey of 5% of trained nursing staff in the Plymouth area provided indications of the impact of changes in post-registration education and practice on the library service of the Tor & South West College of Health in Plymouth. The survey comprised, first, a structured interview to obtain details of professional development plans and preferences, number of courses attended recently, learning styles, use made of ward/unit resources (particularly journals) and optimum periods for library opening. The second part of the survey was a vignette information problem. The responses (written by the participants) provided an indication of information-seeking skills and perceptions of various information sources, both formal (publications) and informal (colleagues and organizations). Analysis indicated that the most popular method of learning was attending a study day, and the most popular combination of learning styles was study day combined with further reading. Reading or journals was selective. Most staff would have to rely on a library for journal literature, particularly the new journals. One third of the sample appeared lacking in information-seeking skills. One third appeared confident in information-seeking skills, and this group was associated with the use of more than two sources of information and use of a library. No single library in Plymouth would be adequate for the sources of information required, indicating the need for better networking and/or integration.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Urquhart
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crane
mesh_terms: D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007994:Libraries, Nursing; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires