Be Safe for the Holidays!
The holiday season has arrived! It’s great time to be with family and friends and to enjoy the festivities. However, it doesn’t take much and suddenly things are not quite as merry as we would wish.  Several organizations and agencies provide some great tips to staying safe whether it is regarding food preparation, putting up decorations, travel, or buying toys. These tips will help keep you and your loved ones can enjoy a safer holiday season. Toys are at the top of many shopping lists. Those youngsters may have a wish list a mile long but which of those many items are safe? The American Academy of Pediatric...
Source: Dragonfly - December 1, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: Health Literacy/Consumer Health Source Type: news

Healthy Native Youth
HealthyNativeYouth.org, produced in collaboration by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, provides resources for culturally-appropriate sexual health programs to AI/AN youth.  Stakeholders from adolescent health and Indian Country were consulted to build connections, offer input and provide insight. The site can be used by tribal health educators, teachers and parents. It’s designed to provide the training and tools needed to promote age appropriate educ...
Source: Dragonfly - November 20, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Patricia Devine Tags: Health Literacy/Consumer Health K-12 Training & Education Source Type: news

“Mistakes Were Made”
“When people take medicine at home, mistakes happen.”  That’s the start of a recent article on NPR’s web site, citing a new study that found that levels of medication errors are rising, and that most mistakes were preventable.  The researchers used information from U.S. poison control centers, and looked only at errors that happened outside of health care facilities.  Another study, cited in The New York Times, found that almost 85% of parents give children the wrong dose of liquid medicines, and more than 2 in 3 of those mistakes are overdoses.   What is behind these errors, and the increase in their numbers?...
Source: Dragonfly - November 15, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Ann Glusker Tags: Health Literacy/Consumer Health Public Health Medication errors overdose Source Type: news

Happy World Vegan Month!
It’s World Vegan Month, and as the PNR’s only vegan, I thought I would take the opportunity to post about this little known celebration.  It has always struck me as odd that World Vegan Month should fall during Thanksgiving, a holiday renown for the consumption of vast amounts of turkey and ham. But then again, the vast majority of Americans are not vegan. What are vegans? MeSH defines them as “persons who avoid consuming animal products or animal-derived substances, such as MEAT; EGGS; or HONEY. Some vegans also refrain from using animals or animal products in any form or for any purpose, such as in CLOTHING or hou...
Source: Dragonfly - November 13, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Ann Madhavan Tags: Health Observances News From NN/LM PNR Source Type: news

PNR Rendezvous webinar, November 15
The next PNR Rendezvous webinar for November is coming soon. When: Wednesday, November 15 starting at Noon Alaska, 1:00pm PT, 2:00pm MT Title: HRSA’s Resources and Initiatives for Native American Communities Gary Gant, from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office of Regional Operations for Region 10, will share some of his office’s initiatives and activities within the Native American community as it pertains to behavioral health, chronic disease, education, human trafficking and substance abuse. Eligible for 1 Medical Library Association (MLA) CE credit for attending the live session or vie...
Source: Dragonfly - November 7, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: Training & Education AI/AN Source Type: news

NNLM PNR Twitter Chat: Give us your input!
It’s time for another PNR Twitter Chat. This time it’s PNR Day on Twitter. Using the hashtag #nnlmpnrchat, drop by at any time on Thursday, November 16, to give us your input. Include #nnlmpnrchat in your tweet. Unsure how this all works? See Twitter Chat 101 for more information. PNR staff will monitor the conversation and ask questions throughout the day, but we are interested in hearing from you on topics such as: What interesting topics or trends would you like the PNR to explore? How do you like to learn about health topics? Webinars, Moodle classes (asynchronous), tutorials? Is MLA CE credit important to...
Source: Dragonfly - November 7, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Patricia Devine Tags: News From NN/LM PNR Source Type: news

NNLM and PLA partner for health with a pre-conference session at PLA 2018, stipend available
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) and the Public Library Association (PLA) are partnering to bring health and wellness to the library. This new nationwide initiative will assess the health information needs of public libraries and provide opportunities for public library staff to increase their knowledge and confidence regarding consumer health services and programming. One such professional development opportunity is a 1 day pre-conference at PLA 2018. Stand Up for Health: Health & Wellness Services for Your Community is Tuesday March 20, 2018 from 9:00am – 5:00pm. PLA is offering a limited nu...
Source: Dragonfly - October 30, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: Health Literacy/Consumer Health News from NNLM Public Libraries Training & Education Source Type: news

How I came to be the Biosleuth
To celebrate Medical Librarian’s Month we have invited medical librarians in our region to submit some information about who they are and the work that they do as medical librarians. Today we are concluding our series with a post from an independent medical librarian in Washington!  Julia Parker, The Biosleuth! Who am I? Julia Parker, M.S., M.L.I.S Where do I work? Biosleuth Consulting Services, LLC Unlike many of my colleagues, I work as an Independent Medical Librarian . . . a liaison to people of diverse information needs, not necessarily local to WA. I am the principal of Biosleuth Consulting Services, LLC. I w...
Source: Dragonfly - October 30, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: News from Network Members Medical Librarians Month Source Type: news

Say “ Yes! ” Whenever Possible
To celebrate Medical Librarian’s Month we have invited medical librarians in our region to submit some information about who they are and the work that they do as medical librarians. Today we hear from a hospital librarian in Oregon! Judith with Mr. Gross Mouth Who am I? Judith Hayes, MLS Where do I work? Tuality Healthcare in Hillsboro, OR I started work as a medical librarian at Tuality Healthcare in Hillsboro, OR, on April 15, 1994.  Almost 24 years later, I am approaching retirement in just a few short weeks with anticipation and dread. It’s been amazing.  I have loved my job.  It feeds my sense of satisfact...
Source: Dragonfly - October 26, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: News from Network Members Medial L Medical Librarians Month Source Type: news

Health Literacy and American Indian/Alaska Natives
I would like to acknowledge the Urban Indian Health Institute’s enormous contribution to today’s blog! — Annie In past blog posts, we have explored health literacy issues from a variety of perspectives. Today we explore how it impacts American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). According to the Indian Health Service, “low health literacy is disproportionately burdensome to American Indians and Alaska Natives and their elders.”2 Individuals with lower health literacy skills often use more health care services designed to treat disease complications, while fewer use services intended to prevent compl...
Source: Dragonfly - October 22, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Ann Madhavan Tags: Blog Health Literacy/Consumer Health Medical Librarians Month Source Type: news

On the Road, with Health Sciences Librarians
To celebrate Medical Librarian’s Month we have invited medical librarians in our region to submit some information about who they are and the work that they do as medical librarians. Today we hear from a  health sciences librarian in Montana! Who am I? Sheila Bonnand, Research & Instruction Librarian Where do I work? Montana State University Library, Bozeman, Montana Mary Anne and Sheila (right), on the road What is it I do?  I can’t describe a typical ‘day in the life’ because the work I do as an academic librarian is so very varied  – and the last six months have been even more atypical. Why? Durin...
Source: Dragonfly - October 19, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: News from Network Members Medical Librarians Month Source Type: news

Health Literacy – A Universal Precautions Approach
Part 3 of our Health Literacy Month series — Universal Precautions is a concept in medicine aimed at preventing the transmission of bloodborne infections. The idea is to assume infection could be present and take the needed precautions at all times. These steps are incorporated into the objectives of a program and made a part of training and implementation of policies designed to prevent the inadvertent transmission of infection. Likewise, health literacy can be approached from a universal precautions standpoint. Experts recommend assuming that everyone may have difficulty understanding medical information and instr...
Source: Dragonfly - October 16, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Patricia Devine Tags: Health Literacy/Consumer Health Health Observances Source Type: news

Why I Love Being a Hospital Librarian!
To celebrate Medical Librarian’s Month we have invited medical librarians in our region to submit some information about who they are and the work that they do as medical librarians. Today we hear from a hospital librarian in Idaho! Karly peeking out her library window Who am I? Karly Vesely, MLIS Where do I work? Health Sciences Librarian at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Why do I love my job? I was talking about the Kootenai Health Medical Library to a group of new employees, and one of them remarked that I clearly love my job.  I really do, and here are a few reasons why: Fun! Fun is my number one mot...
Source: Dragonfly - October 12, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: News from Network Members Medical Librarians Month Source Type: news

Next PNR Rendezvous is about Copyright and Online Learning Resources
“Copyright & Online Learning Resources: It’s Complicated!” is the next PNR Rendezvous session. When: October 18 starting at 1:00pm PT, Noon Alaska, 2:00pm MT Questions about library resources and fair use in online education are expanding from the appropriate use of journal articles and eBooks to published images, video clips and more in faculty-created resources for instruction that our licensing terms often don’t explicitly address. What to do? Join the session as our speaker, Nikki Dettmar, describes ways of supporting the faculty, staff & students of the University of Washington School of M...
Source: Dragonfly - October 10, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: Training & Education copyright online education Source Type: news

Next PNR Rendezvous is about PubMed Commons
“Leveraging PubMed Commons for Medical Librarians” is the next PNR Rendezvous session. When: October 18 starting at 1:00pm PT, Noon Alaska, 2:00pm MT Medical librarians play an important role in the evaluation and dissemination of credible life/biomedical sciences information. Peer-review is part of this process. However, peer-review is not an infallible process. In an age of open science, there is a need for open review and information exchange opportunities that extend beyond the traditional published formats. Providing a channel and an audience for open post-publication communication is one way to achieve t...
Source: Dragonfly - October 10, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Carolyn Martin Tags: News From NN/LM PNR Training & Education Source Type: news