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Mapping the literature of perfusion
1Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405, USA.
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
|July 31, 1999
Summary
This study identified the core literature for perfusionists, finding 43 key journals. MEDLINE offers broad access, but supplementing with CINAHL is recommended for specialized perfusionist resources.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Allied Health Professions
- Medical Librarianship
Background:
- Perfusionists play a vital role in patient care by operating equipment for circulatory and respiratory support.
- Over 3,000 perfusionists practice in various healthcare settings across the U.S.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the essential body of literature within the field of perfusion.
- To evaluate major databases for comprehensive access to this core perfusion literature.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric analysis was employed to identify core journals in perfusion.
- A set of 43 journals was determined to constitute the core literature.
Main Results:
- MEDLINE demonstrated the most extensive indexing coverage for the identified core perfusion journals.
- The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) is crucial for accessing journals specifically targeting perfusionists.
Conclusions:
- Librarians and perfusionists should utilize both MEDLINE and CINAHL for comprehensive literature access.
- Database producers are encouraged to improve indexing for unindexed or underindexed perfusion-related titles.