"Integrating information retrieval skills in health sciences curricula: faculty perspectives on teaching, assessment and content"

Irish health policy documents related to the training and education of professionals and policy documents relating the health services delivery cite the necessity of health care professionals having skills and access to information systems in order to practice evidence-based health care. This poster will present the results of a piece of research which explored the relationship between stated desirable skills of practitioners and the education and training they receive in third level health sciences schools in Ireland with an emphasis on information retrieval skills.To research current practice and attitudes of health sciences educators at third level institutions in Ireland in relation to: teaching information literacy skills to health sciences students of all disciplines; assessing information literacy skills; perceived importance of information literacy skills to the practice of future health care professionals; to identify core information retrieval competencies for health care professionals in Ireland and to make policy recommendations to those responsible for the education and training of health care professionals in Ireland.Faculty at health sciences schools in Ireland with teaching responsibilities in research methods, informatics or evidence-based practice completed an online questionnaire which asked questions around key concepts, teaching experience, teaching and assessment of information literacy skills; participants were also asked to rate the importance of database, internet, and catalogue search skills; reference and citation management skills; and to identify essential resources that students should be proficient in using.Information literacy skills are regarded as important and should be taught within the curriculum and assessed. Information retrieval is largely taught by librarians but assessed by faculty; all other skills are taught by faculty. Faculty who teach information retrieval are largely self-taught. Skills are sometimes not taught and are not always assessed. There is lack of understanding about the importance of some skills.