Designing a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians

Authors

  • Hasan Ashrafi-rizi Associate Professor, Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6052-2087
  • Zahra Kazempour Assistant Professor, Library and Information Science, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Payame Noor University, Tehran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6834-2814
  • Fatemeh Sheikhshoaei Assistant Professor, Medical Library and Information Sciences, School of Allied Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8804-5403
  • Zahra Ghazavi Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2020.893

Keywords:

Professional Ethics, Clinical Librarian, Professional Ethics Excellence Model

Abstract

Objective: Developing and promoting professional ethics principles for clinical librarians can help the health care system balance the interests of all stakeholders, including clinical librarians, health care professionals, and patients. Therefore, the goal of this study was to design a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians.

Methods: The authors conducted a descriptive applied study using literature review and the delphi method. The delphi panel included eleven experts in medical librarianship, library and information sciences, or information sciences and knowledge studies.

Results: After the delphi rounds, five concepts and forty-six components were identified and confirmed to provide a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians. The highest-rated concept was excellence in communication. The highest-rated component was mastery in developing search strategies in information resources and databases.

Conclusions: Identifying and applying principles of professional ethics among clinical librarians can enhance the professionalization of clinical librarians and result in better information services for physicians. Furthermore, incorporating these principles into the curriculum for health sciences library and information sciences students or into workshops for active clinical librarians can further formalize the profession and practice of evidence-based medicine.

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Published

2020-10-01

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Section

Original Investigation