Facilitating research amongst radiographers through information literacy workshops

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Medical Education
• Knowledge Management

Background:

• Allied health professionals at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTHTR) were underrepresented in research development.
• Library and Knowledge Services (LKS) and Research and Innovation (R&I) departments collaborated to address this gap.
• A program was designed to equip staff with skills for accessing information and conducting research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a research engagement program for allied health professionals.
• To enhance staff knowledge and skills in research methodologies and information literacy.
• To foster a culture of "home grown" research within the NHS trust.

Main Methods:

• A research engagement program comprising 6 workshops was developed and delivered by a clinical librarian and an academic research nurse.
• Sixteen participants from the diagnostic radiography department took part in the program.
• Data collected included library usage, Information Literacy Self Efficacy Scale (ILSES) scores, and research output before and after the workshops.

Main Results:

• Library membership increased by 50% and literature search requests by 133% among diagnostic radiography staff.
• Participants reported increased Information Literacy Self Efficacy Scale (ILSES) scores.
• The program was attributed to an increase in research activity and outputs.

Conclusions:

• The project yielded freely available workshop plans and resources for customization by other healthcare professionals.
• The program's evaluation identified impacts, outputs, and barriers to engagement.
• The initiative aims to embed a home grown research culture at LTHTR through continued delivery and departmental collaboration.