A day in the life of a clinical librarian

Each month we share what a day in the life of a clinical librarian looks like. This month we've had the great pleasure of interviewing Cathryn from Derby.

Who are you and where do you work?
I am Cathryn James and I work full-time as a Clinical Librarian at Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, based at the Royal Derby Hospital.

How long have you been there?
I have been a Clinical Librarian since 2007, initially employed as a Clinical Librarian working with Pathway Teams in the Trust, however I have now worked with clinical departments for the past six years. Previous to this post I have spent over 30 years being a Librarian- mostly in Nurse Education, University and Government libraries.

What attracted you to Clinical Librarianship?
I was attracted to this role after seeing the post advertised and reading the literature. Having worked in nurse education for many years, I had already got an incredible insight into health care, the workings of the NHS and how nurses care for patients. I love working with very dynamic clinical teams (Department of Renal Medicine, Diabetes & Endocrinology, NICU, Paediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynaecology) who give the most excellent care and who value my role. I enjoy being visible in the departments and am embedded into ward rounds, education meetings, handovers and MDTs. It is very rewarding working with such compassionate clinicians who are always striving to improve patient care. I hope I am able to make a difference and contribute to this.

What does an average day at work involve?
Average day- what is that?? I have my set meetings each week; however as for enquiries these can change at the drop of a hat. I often have to change my daily routine due to a Consultant requiring information to help manage a patient is being cared for in the High Dependency Unit and how quickly they want the information. My “normal” day starts with checking emails, going to MDT, handover and ward rounds. I attend weekly education meetings which usually happen at lunchtime. Literature searching, information skills training and running a couple of journal clubs are also part of my weekly agenda- and not forgetting attending various library meetings. I am currently very committed to supporting the nurse revalidation in my clinical areas.

If you weren’t a Librarian, what would you be?
If I hadn’t been a Librarian, I would have liked to have been a Lawyer!

Tell us a joke or a non-work fact about yourself
I love jokes, however I always struggle to remember them. One I heard last week made me chuckle – why did the Mexican push his wife over the cliff?………drum roll……………TEQUILA!!!

Thanks so much, Cathryn! It's been great hearing all about your world of clinical librarianship!

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Want to read more? Catch up on all our 'Day in the life' interviews here!