It takes longer than you think: librarian time spent on systematic review tasks

Krystal Bullers; Allison M. Howard; Ardis Hanson; William D. Kearns; John J. Orriola; Randall L. Polo; Kristen A. Sakmar

doi:10.5195/jmla.2018.323

Authors

Krystal Bullers Emerging Technologies and Pharmacy Liaison Librarian, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2199-2286
Allison M. Howard Research and Education Librarian, College of Public Health Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1542-3893
Ardis Hanson Assistant Director, Research and Education, College of Medicine Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4253-0424
William D. Kearns Research Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0241-814X
John J. Orriola Research and Education Librarian, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6524-6250
Randall L. Polo Research and Education Librarian, College of Nursing Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4341-242X
Kristen A. Sakmar Assistant Librarian, Research and Education, Graduate Medical Education Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2399-1161

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.323

Keywords:

Systematic Reviews, Literature Search Methods, Types of Information Resources, Review Literature as Topic, Surveys and Questionnaires, Task Performance and Analysis, Time Management, Staffing

Abstract

Introduction: The authors examined the time that medical librarians spent on specific tasks for systematic reviews (SRs): interview process, search strategy development, search strategy translation, documentation, deliverables, search methodology writing, and instruction. We also investigated relationships among the time spent on SR tasks, years of experience, and number of completed SRs to gain a better understanding of the time spent on SR tasks from time, staffing, and project management perspectives.

Methods: A confidential survey and study description were sent to medical library directors who were members of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries as well as librarians serving members of the Association of American Medical Colleges or American Osteopathic Association.

Results: Of the 185 participants, 143 (77%) had worked on an SR within the last 5 years. The number of SRs conducted by participants during their careers ranged from 1 to 500, with a median of 5. The major component of time spent was on search strategy development and translation. Average aggregated time for standard tasks was 26.9 hours, with a median of 18.5 hours. Task time was unrelated to the number of SRs but was positively correlated with years of SR experience.

Conclusion: The time required to conduct the librarian’s discrete tasks in an SR varies substantially, and there are no standard time frames. Librarians with more SR experience spent more time on instruction and interviews; time spent on all other tasks varied widely. Librarians also can expect to spend a significant amount of their time on search strategy development, translation, and writing.

This article has been approved for the Medical Library Association’s Independent Reading Program.

Author Biographies

Krystal Bullers, Emerging Technologies and Pharmacy Liaison Librarian, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Krystal Bullers, MLS, AHIP, is the Shimberg Health Science Library’s liaison librarian to the College of Pharmacy and emerging technologies librarian for USF Health. She has participated in three systematic reviews to date, co-authored ten posters, and serves as advisor to pharmacy doctoral candidates performing systematic reviews. Her research interests include the librarian's role in systematic reviews and effective transmission of drug information search and literature evaluation skills.

Allison M. Howard, Research and Education Librarian, College of Public Health Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Allison M. Howard, MLIS, AHIP is a Research and Education Librarian at the Shimberg Health Science Library at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She has worked on multiple faculty systematic reviews, taken two multi-day systematic review workshops, and attended numerous systematic review CE courses. Ms. Howard is also the Cataloguing Librarian for USF Health and Shimberg liaison to the College of Public Health.

Ardis Hanson, Assistant Director, Research and Education, College of Medicine Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Ardis Hanson, PhD, MLS, is the Assistant Director for Research & Education at the Shimberg Health Sciences Library and liaison to the USF College of Medicine. She has over 25 years of experience in health and behavioral health libraries. She received her PhD in Communication, with a focus on health and organizational communication, and her MLS, with a focus on classification and cataloguing, from the University of South Florida. A Past President of the Association of Caribean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries and of the Association of Mental Health Librarians, she is currently the chair of ACURIL's Evidence-based Practices in Health Roundtable.

William D. Kearns, Research Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

William Kearns is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of South Florida in 1989 and was IT director of the Florida Mental Health Institute from 1992 to 2003. Interests include automation for facilitating improved care for cognitive impairment and improved access to mental health services and education. He is President of the International Society for Gerontechnology, an Associate Editor for its journal and a grant reviewer for the NSF, the AHRQ and the NIH.

John J. Orriola, Research and Education Librarian, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

John Orriola, MLS, is a Research and Education Librarian at the Shimberg Health Science Library at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He has worked on numerous systematic reviews with USF Health faculty during his career. In addition to work on systematic reviews, Mr. Orriola is the Shimberg liaison to the College of Medicine.

Randall L. Polo, Research and Education Librarian, College of Nursing Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Randall L. Polo, JD, MA is a Research & Education Librarian with the rank of Assistant Librarian at the University of South Florida, Shimberg Health Sciences Library. Mr. Polo provides scholarly literature database search support to USF/Health faculty, medical residents, and graduate students engaged in planning or conducting systematic reviews intended for publication. In the role of co-author, he has designed or contributed to the design of complex search strategies used in several systematic review projects. Recently, Mr. Polo was co-author of a systematic review published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies [Buck, H. G., Stromberg, A, Chung, M., Donovan, K. A., Harkness, K., Howard, A. M., Kato, N., Polo, R., Evangelista, L. S. (2018 Jan.) A systematic review of heart failure dyadic self-care interventions focusing on intervention components, contexts, and outcomes. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 77:232-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.10.007] Mr. Polo also designs and presents instruction on database navigation, literature search strategy, and citation management software for all disciplines and levels of instruction at USF/Health.

Kristen A. Sakmar, Assistant Librarian, Research and Education, Graduate Medical Education Liaison, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Kristen Sakmar, MA is a an Assistant Librarian in the Research and Education unit of the Shimberg Health Sciences Library at the University of South Florida. As liaison librarian for Graduate Medical Education, she works with residents and fellows to improve their research skills. She has worked on systematic reviews with faculty and regularly attends workshops and training on systematic reviews.

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