Use and Usability of Electronic Resources Among Health Professionals at King Fahad University Hospital: An Assessment
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Abstract
Background: Use of online resources has increased in the academic world. These resources are becoming pervasive in the fields related to medicine and health sciences. These fields are heavily dependent on current and evidence-based information, and health professionals use online resources for clinical, research and educational purposes.
Objective: In this perspective, this study aims to investigate the use and usability of online resources by the health professionals at King Fahad University Hospital (KFHU).
Methods: The study is based on quantitative survey; a questionnaire was devised covering different aspects of online resources related to the medicine and health sciences. Both open and close-ended questions were included in the questionnaire. The sample of the study covered health professionals; paraprofessionals; medical and nursing students in clinical years and residents at KFHU. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to reach at conclusions.
Results and Conclusions: The findings show that most of the responding health professionals often preferred the textbooks, while sometimes they preferred the use of E-books, E-journals, and printed journals. The often use of the electronic information resources was for the sake of studying and/or updating the personal knowledge. However, they used these resources only sometimes for other purposes such as research, in-patient, out-patient, and teaching etc. The use of mobile applications and mobile devices as an access point was very rare among the respondents; however, most of them were often accessing e-resources from their homes. the usage frequency of free and open access resources was higher than other e-resources available through Library portal. Google was the most often used search engine as compared to Summon and other federated search engines. The use of Upto Date and Best Practice was higher than other EBM resources. Most of the respondents sometimes were getting their desired resources from university subscribed e-resources, but still they were looking for help from the library regarding the use of e-resources. Most of them expressed their difficulty in using the e-resources and requested for expert help or practical training with instructor; however, they acknowledged the usefulness of library services. They also suggested for more promotion of e-resources and for the provision of more relevant e-resource collection.
Objective: In this perspective, this study aims to investigate the use and usability of online resources by the health professionals at King Fahad University Hospital (KFHU).
Methods: The study is based on quantitative survey; a questionnaire was devised covering different aspects of online resources related to the medicine and health sciences. Both open and close-ended questions were included in the questionnaire. The sample of the study covered health professionals; paraprofessionals; medical and nursing students in clinical years and residents at KFHU. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to reach at conclusions.
Results and Conclusions: The findings show that most of the responding health professionals often preferred the textbooks, while sometimes they preferred the use of E-books, E-journals, and printed journals. The often use of the electronic information resources was for the sake of studying and/or updating the personal knowledge. However, they used these resources only sometimes for other purposes such as research, in-patient, out-patient, and teaching etc. The use of mobile applications and mobile devices as an access point was very rare among the respondents; however, most of them were often accessing e-resources from their homes. the usage frequency of free and open access resources was higher than other e-resources available through Library portal. Google was the most often used search engine as compared to Summon and other federated search engines. The use of Upto Date and Best Practice was higher than other EBM resources. Most of the respondents sometimes were getting their desired resources from university subscribed e-resources, but still they were looking for help from the library regarding the use of e-resources. Most of them expressed their difficulty in using the e-resources and requested for expert help or practical training with instructor; however, they acknowledged the usefulness of library services. They also suggested for more promotion of e-resources and for the provision of more relevant e-resource collection.
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