Library News

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy digest posts summarize updates over the past month about:

• Clinical Policies, Care Directives, Guidelines and Learning Modules
  • Get the latest clinically relevant, local guidance published through policies, care directives, guidelines and/or learning modules.
  • Identify competencies relevant to you/your team’s practice.
• Dynamic Health (DH)
  • Stay informed about implementation and use of Dynamic Health at Nova Scotia Health, including recent updates to Workplace Notes and Custom Workplace Skills.
• Clinical Practice Support (CPS) Subject Guides
  • Learn about recently published and updated CPS subject guides, where you/your team can find relevant resources across DH, policies, care directives, guidelines, and learning modules. CPS subject guides also include Key Practice Points and additional educational and guidance resources to support implementation and competency maintenance.

Original posts on the above topics can be accessed by Nova Scotia Health employees through The Compass > Clinical Resources News.

Care Directives, Clinical Practice Support (CPS) Subject Guides – New and Updated

• UPDATED CARE DIRECTIVE:
  • CD-PH-010 - Immunization Administration
    • Minor Revision: Revised term “vaccine” to “immunizing agents”; Added reporting pathway to CVP for new product.
• NEW CPS Subject Guides:
  • Estimated Date of Discharge (EDD)
    • The Estimated Date of Discharge (EDD) is the date when a patient is anticipated to be discharged from the current facility, based on clinical judgement of the care team. This guide supports establishing and documenting EDD, as well as accessing EDD data for decision making.
  • Working with Patients and Substitute Decisions-Makers (SDMs)
    • Developed by Ethics Nova Scotia Health in conjunction with Legal Services, Working with Patients and Substitute Decisions-Makers (SDMs) outlines, organizes and answers questions frequently asked on this topic for health care staff.
• UPDATED CPS Subject Guides:
  • Fall and Injury Reduction
  • Frailty and Elder Care Network
  • New Nurse Mentorship Program
  • Nursing Orientation Program – Central Zone
  • Nursing Skills and Procedures
  • Palliative Care
    • Conversations about Serious Illness
    • Goals of Care
  • Paramedic Skills and Procedures
  • Respiratory Therapy Skills and Procedures

Dynamic Health Updates

• New Workplace Notes and Reviewed Skills
  • New Workplace Notes have been created for a range of skills, including but not limited to: Lipid Emulsion Therapy, Parenteral Nutrition, Minimal Occlusive Volume Monitoring.
  • View the full list of New Workplace Notes and Reviewed Skills for October 2025.
• Revised Workplace Notes
  • Workplace Notes about a range of skills that have been revised, including but not limited to: Parenteral Nutrition, Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.
  • View the list of Revised Workplace Notes for October 2025.
• Custom Workplace Skills - NEW
  • Monitoring Tracheostomy Tube Pressure Using Minimal Occlusive Volume (MOV)

2024 CVAA Guidelines and CVAD Competency Updates for Nursing

In preparation for the forthcoming updates to Nova Scotia Health's Central Venous Access Device-related policies, IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy have updated competencies and skills regarding CVAD for Nursing to align with the 2024 Canadian Vascular Access Association (CVAA) Guidelines.

Make sure to check out our comparison of Previous Practice versus CVAA-informed Practice, and review the updated competency requirements in our post on The Compass > Clinical Resources News.

Stop the Flu! And RSV Immunization

Visit the Stop the Flu! section of the ERIN Hub to find out where you, as a Nova Scotia Health employee, can take part as a Flu Champion, and receive and document your vaccine.

You’ll also find resources to support Flu Champions, related policies and care directives, flu clinic schedules for Nova Scotia Health staff, product monographs, and other communications tools.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunizations for eligible infants and adults are now included as part of the publicly funded immunization program.

Guidance is outlined and maintained on the ERIN Hub > RSV, in key resources such as:

• Nova Scotia Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant Immunization Program – Information for Health Care Professionals
• Nova Scotia Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Adult Immunization Program – Information for Health Care Professionals
• Nova Scotia Health Vaccine Consult Service: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Immunization Agents FAQ

Please refer to these, and other supporting resources, along with the associated policy and care directive, available on the Immunizer Education Clinical Practice Support subject guide > Care Directives and Policies.

Review the full memo from IPPL on the Compass > Clinical Resources News.

Get in Touch!

Connect with Clinical Policy and Practice about this content update and opportunities to collaborate by emailing AskIPPL@nshealth.ca.

Find guidance about using Dynamic Health, setting up a personal account, exporting CE (Continuing Education) Credits, and more in the Dynamic Health Support guide.

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy

AskIPPL@nshealth.ca

Has your team ever been asked for permission to reproduce or adapt your content? Do you want to ensure proper credit is given when your work is shared?

Creative Commons (CC) licensing could be the solution.

Creative Commons is a global, nonprofit system that offers open licences for creative works. There are six types of CC licences, each allowing different levels of sharing, copying, and adaptation. All licences require attribution to the original creator.

Nova Scotia Health teams now have the option to assign Creative Commons licences to their work!

This change follows the example set by the Nova Scotia Health Policy Office, which publishes new policies under a CC licence, and is inspired by Alberta Health Services which has successfully used CC licensing for several years.

To retain control over how your content is used, we recommend choosing one of the two most restrictive CC licences:

• CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)
  Allows others to reuse or adapt your work for noncommercial purposes providing they credit you and share any changes under the same license.
• CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
  Allows others to share your work for noncommercial purposes with proper credit, but no changes or adaptations are allowed.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Creative Commons subject guide for information on:

• Why choose Creative Commons? Learn how it can increase collaboration and extend the impact of Nova Scotia Health’s work locally, nationally, and globally.
• Considerations before assigning CC licences, including the need for leadership approval.
• How to select the right CC licence for your content.
• Licensing Statements/Disclaimers, approved by Nova Scotia Health Legal Services.
• Support Tools, including a customizable licence tracking spreadsheet, infographics, templates for Word and PowerPoint, and a helpful FAQ section.

Ready to get started or have questions?

• Email us at copyright@nshealth.ca
• Book a one-on-one consultation
• Request a Custom Education Session for your team

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Halifax Infirmary, Central Zone

Writing in plain language matters. In Canada, it’s reported that nine million people have limited literacy skills, with over half of Canadians reading below a high school level. This is just one of the reasons why it is important to offer additional support to patients and families with easy-to-read, straightforward patient pamphlets. For more information about creating or updating patient pamphlets, please visit the Patient Education Resources Toolkit. Contact Pamphlets@nshealth.ca with any questions. You can search for pamphlets by title or keyword in the pamphlets catalogue, or view the complete listing of active titles in our Print Code Index.

The following pamphlets were updated or created in September 2025. 

Arabic Translations
AR85-2401 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring [Arabic] (English: WG85-2073, En français: FF85-2389)
AR85-2256 How to Self-Prone with a Lung Injury [Arabic] (English: WC85-2251, En français: FF85-2255)
                     Previous title: How to Self-Prone: Instructions for COVID-19 Patients and Caregivers
AR85-2225 Guidelines After General Surgery [Arabic] (English: WO85-2223, En français: FF85-2224)

Skin Care 
WR85-2310 Guidelines After a Minor Procedure - Dermatology Clinic
WR85-2524 NEW Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
WR85-2525 NEW Liquid Nitrogen (Cryotherapy)
WR85-2526 NEW Efudex® (5% Fluorouracil Cream) for Actinic Keratosis

Cardiovascular System 
WG85-0393 Before and After Your Cardioversion - Halifax Infirmary (En français: FF85-1726)
WG85-1296 Angioplasty of the Leg (Balloon Procedure) (En français: FF85-1791)
                      Previous title: Angioplasty of the Legs (Balloon Procedure)
WG85-2523 NEW Cardiovascular (Heart) Disease - Changes in Your Mental Health
WG85-2530 NEW Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) - Patient Oriented Discharge Summary (PODS)

Chinese (Simplified) Translations
CH85-2527 NEW Over-the-Counter Medications and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) [Simplified Chinese] (English: WQ85-1636)

Diagnostic Imaging 
WN85-0001 Angiogram - Halifax Infirmary Victoria General
                      Previous title: Angiogram
WN85-0229 Fistulogram

Digestive System 
WI85-1555 Hepatic Encephalopathy

French Translations (en français)
FF85-2195 Don de cornées - Service de soins palliatifs (English: WD85-1150)
                    Previous title: Faire un don de vie - Don de cornées - Service des soins palliatifs
FF85-2099 Amygdalectomie et adénoïdectomie (English: WV85-0284)
FF85-1966 Surveillance de la glycémie chez les nouveaux-nés (English: WP85-1934)
                    Previous title: Surveillance de la glycémie chez les nouveau-nés
FF85-2105 Services de physiothérapie en Nouvelle‑Écosse (English: WB85-1438)
FF85-1783 Injection de Botox® (English: WW85-0282)
FF85-2166 Conseils de sécurité pour les enfants hospitalisés (English: WX85-2118)
                    Previous title: Conseils pour la sécurité des patients – Services de pédiatrie
FF85-2190 Virus Coxsackie (maladie mains-pieds-bouche et herpangine) (English: WA85-2127)
FF85-2188 Soins continus - Information importante (English: WX85-2120)
FF85-2191 Croup (diphtérie laryngienne) (English: WA85-2128)
FF85-2522 NEW Analyse d’urine après une opération (English: WJ85-2501)

Gynecology & Reproductive Health
WP85-2314 Welcome to the Women and Children's Unit - Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre
WP85-2520 NEW Thyroid Disorders During Pregnancy

Hospital Information
WX85-1542 Lowering Your Chance of Getting a Blood Clot While in the Hospital (En français: FF85-1545)
                      Previous title: Preventing Blood Clots While in the Hospital
WX85-2528 NEW Mi’kmaw Indigenous Patient Navigator (MIPN) - Western Zone

Mental Health & Addictions
WM85-2296 When should I be worried about my relationship with food and exercise?
WM85-2529 NEW Family and Support Person Education Program - Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program (NSEPP)

Musculoskeletal System
WE85-1582 Pressure Injury (Ulcer) Prevention (En français: FF85-1795)

Nephrology
WQ85-1475 Bowel Preparation for Chronic Kidney Disease Before Colonoscopy
WQ85-0397 Fistuloplasty

Nervous System
WL85-2302 Sexual Health After a Spinal Cord Injury
                      Previous title: Sexual Health After Spinal Cord Injury

Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
WB85-1299 Liver Transplant Physiotherapy Program (En français: FF85-1839)
WB85-1597 General Leg Exercise Program (En français: FF85-2085)

Surgery 
WO85-2521 NEW Before and After Day Surgery
 

The following pamphlets were archived in September 2025:
NSCCP-1686  Male Breast Cancer
WQ85-2283  Fistulogram - Cape Breton Regional Hospital
WQ85-2284  Fistuloplasty - Cape Breton Regional Hospital
 

If a pamphlet that has been archived is still needed, please let us know as soon as possible and we will work with you to make it available again.
 

Kendell Fitzgerald

Librarian Educator
Central Zone

In healthcare, it is important to remember that our patients may not understand the information or teaching we share with them. You can help to improve understanding by communicating clearly. This helps everyone — not just those who may struggle to understand health information.

There are numerous guides and resources available to help clinical teams support patient and care partner learning. From these, we’ve made a list of communication tools that can best help you strengthen your ‘at the bedside’ teaching just in time for health literacy month this October!

Communication Tools

• Learn about why it’s important for clinical teams to consider the language they use and its impact on advancing health equity.
  Resource: Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts
  Authors: American Medical Association, AAMC Center for Health Justice
  Link: https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/ama-aamc-equity-guide.pdf
   
• Learn how to use gender inclusive language with new clients in a clinical setting.
  Resource: Gender Inclusive Language – Clinical settings with new clients
  Authors: Trans Care BC
  Link: https://www.transcarebc.ca/sites/default/files/2024-03/Gender_Inclusive_Language_Clinical.pdf
   
• Learn about gender inclusive language in any setting.
  Resource: Inclusive and Affirming Language Tips
  Authors: Egale Canada
  Link: https://egale.ca/awareness/affirming-and-inclusive-language/
   
• Watch a short 2-minute video about medical jargon and how to communicate effectively and simply.
  Resource: Keep It Simple for Safety - Don't Use Jargon
  Authors: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiBZjpy3ibs&t
   
• Read a short, straightforward guide to help improve written communication intended for patients and care partners.
  Resource: Guidelines for Effective Writing
  Authors: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  Link: https://www.cms.gov/training-education/learn/find-tools-to-help-you-help-others/guidelines-for-effective-writing
   
• Learn how to easily sharpen your health literacy skill set with these strategies.
  Resource: Easy ways to build health literacy into your daily routines
  Authors: Library Services
  Link: https://library.nshealth.ca/blogs/Home/News/Easy-ways-to-build-health-literacy-into-your-daily-routines
   
• This free, 20-minute, online learning module can help you learn to identify and use key elements of teach-back and plain language to promote health equity, safety, and quality, and advance organizational health literacy.
  Resource: Always Use Teach-back! Interactive Learning Module
  Authors: Abrams MA, Nielsen GA, Wilson A. Always Use Teach-back! Toolkit. 2024. https://teachbacktraining.org
  Link: https://teachbacktraining.org/teach-back-interactive-learning-module/
   
• Use tips from this resource to optimize care and improve provider-patient communication with older patients.
  Resource: Talking With Your Older Patients
  Authors: National Institute on Aging
  Link: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/health-care-professionals-information/talking-your-older-patients
   
• Bookmark this list of plain language substitutes and easy explanations to use in your conversations or written content. 
  Resource: Plain Language Replacements
  Authors: Library Services’ Patient Education Team
  Link: https://library.nshealth.ca/ld.php?content_id=37381737
   

When patients, families, and support persons understand the information being shared with them, they can make more informed and meaningful decisions about their care and treatment, in collaboration with their healthcare team.

Gear up for health literacy month this October by sharing this resource list with your colleagues or team today!

Learn more about Health Literacy in the Content Creator Toolkit: https://library.nshealth.ca/Patient-Education-Resources/Health-Literacy

Kallen Rutledge

Librarian Educator, Patient Education Pamphlets Lead
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy digest posts summarize updates over the past month about:

• Clinical Policies, Care Directives, Guidelines and Learning Modules
  • Get the latest on clinically relevant, local guidance published through policies, care directives, guidelines and/or learning modules.
  • Identify competencies relevant to you/your team’s practice.
• Dynamic Health (DH)
  • Stay informed about implementation and use of Dynamic Health at Nova Scotia Health, including recent updates to Workplace Notes and Custom Workplace Skills.
• Clinical Practice Support (CPS) Subject Guides
  • Learn about recently published and updated CPS subject guides, where you/your team can find relevant resources across DH, policies, care directives, guidelines and learning modules. CPS subject guides also include Key Practice Points and additional educational and guidance resources to support implementation and competency maintenance.

Original posts on the above topics can be accessed by Nova Scotia Health Employees through The Compass > Clinical Resources News.

Policies, Care Directives, Guidelines and Learning Modules

• NEW CARE DIRECTIVE: Sepsis Recognition and Treatment in the Emergency Department Settings
  • CD-EC-095 is supported by and includes a Dynamic Health custom skill. Leadership and Clinical Educators can find this new care directive, DH link and more implementation support resources in the Sepsis Recognition and Treatment in the Emergency Department Settings Clinical Practice Support subject guide.
• NEW POLICY and PROCEDURES: Medication Administration
  • MM-MA-001 has been updated and includes several DH skills. Leadership and Clinical Educators can find this new policy, related procedures, DH links and more support resources in the Medication Administration Clinical Practice Support subject guide.

Dynamic Health Updates

• New Workplace Notes and Reviewed Skills
  • New notes have been created for a range of skills, including but not limited to: Arterial Catheter Site Care, Enteral Nutrition by Bolus, Gastrostomy Tube Care, Leg Ulcer Compression Systems, Liquid Nitrogen for Dermatologic Cryosurgery, Wasting Controlled Substances.
  • View the full list of New Workplace Notes and Reviewed Skills for September 2025.
• Revised Workplace Notes
  • Workplace Note about a range of skills have been revised, including but not limited to: Assessing and Managing Pain, Blood Product and Plasma Administration, CVADs, Feeding Tubes, IM Injections in Newborns, Oral Medication for Infants and Children, Urine Specimen Collection from Indwelling Catheters, Tracheostomies.
  • View the list of Revised Workplace Notes for September 2025.
• Custom Workplace Skills
  • NEW
    • Point-of-Use Cleaning of Flexible Endoscopes
    • Performing the Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM) in Pediatric Patients with Asthma
    • Performing Burn Wound Debridement for Adults
    • Recognizing and Treating Sepsis in the Emergency Department (ED)

Clinical Practice Support Subject Guides

• NEW
  • Frailty and Elder Care Network
  • Perinatal, Newborn, and Pediatrics
  • Sepsis Recognition and Treatment in the Emergency Department (ED)
  • Tracheostomy Care

Obtaining CE With Dynamic Health for Nursing Practice and Leadership Premiums

It's that time of year again! It's time to start preparing to submit for your Nursing Practice and Leadership Premiums. There are three ways to earn CE using Dynamic Health:

1. Creating a DH Personal Account + Day-to-Day Use

Each time you use a skill in DH can count towards CE, but first you need to make a personal account. Once you’ve made a personal account, make sure you are logged in each time you use DH. Over time, you’ll notice the counter in the top right getting bigger. When you are ready, you can export your activity as CE credits. Regular use of DH will help you accumulate credits that can be converted to Practice Points as per Nursing Collective Agreements.

2. Skill Review and Creating a Workplace Note (WPN)

Priority skills needing review are identified by organizational leadership and clinical educators. You may put your name forward to our Team with the clinical areas you are competent to provide review for, and we’ll reach out when needs arise. This may be to update an existing skill with a workplace note, or to review a skill for potential workplace note or another customization.

3. Creating a Custom Workplace Skill

The need to create a Custom Workplace Skill is determined through our review process, the CPP team, and leadership and clinical educators. For example, if you submit a review for a skill (after it was assigned to you) and our CPP team reviews and determines there are too many differences for a Workplace Note alone, the CPP team may reach out about collaborating on working with us to create a Custom Workplace Skill. Creating this type of skill takes more time and energy, therefore, this activity is worth the most Leadership Points offered.

Learn more and get additional tips by reading the original post at Clinical Resources News on The Compass.

Get in Touch!

Connect with Clinical Practice and Policy about this content update and opportunities to collaborate by emailing AskIPPL@nshealth.ca.

Find guidance about using Dynamic Health, setting up a personal account, exporting CE (Continuing Education) Credits, and more in the Dynamic Health Support guide.

IPPL Clinical Practice and Policy

AskIPPL@nshealth.ca

Writing in plain language matters. In Canada, it’s reported that nine million people have limited literacy skills, with over half of Canadians reading below a high school level. This is just one of the reasons why it is important to offer additional support to patients and families with easy-to-read, straightforward patient pamphlets. For more information about creating or updating patient pamphlets, please visit the Patient Education Resources Toolkit. Contact Pamphlets@nshealth.ca with any questions. You can search for pamphlets by title or keyword in the pamphlets catalogue, or view the complete listing of active titles in our Print Code Index.

The following pamphlets were updated or created in August 2025. 

Arabic Translations
AR85-2153 Ethics Tool - Help with Ethical Issues [Arabic] (English: WX85-2056, French: FF85-2142, Simplified Chinese: CH85-2168)
AR85-2512 NEW Getting Ready to Start Your Insulin Pump [Arabic] (English: WK85-2491)

Cardiovascular System 
WG85-1393 What is a MIBI (Sestamibi) Test?
                      Previous title: What is a MIBI? QE II

Chinese (Simplified) Translations
CH85-2168 Ethics Tool - Help with Ethical Issues [Simplified Chinese] (English: WX85-2056, En français: FF85-2142, Arabic: AR85-2153)

Digestive System 
WI85-0225 Living With Advanced Liver Disease
WI85-0601 Waiting for Your Liver Transplant (En français: FF85-1123)

Emergency & Public Health 
WA85-2509 NEW Sepsis 

Endocrine System 
WK85-1037 My Diabetes Record

French Translations (en français)
FF85-2082 Programme de gestion du sang périopératoire (GSP) (English: WH85-1396)
                     Previous title: Service de gestion du sang périopératoire
FF85-2183 Vos droits en vertu de la Loi sur le traitement psychiatrique involontaire (English: WX85-1146)
                    Previous title: Vos droits - En vertu de la loi sur le traitement psychiatrique obligatoire
FF85-2142 Outil d'éthique - Aide pour les enjeux d’éthique (English: WX85-2056, Arabic: AR85-2153, Simplified Chinese: CH85-2168) 
FF85-2107 Délirium après une chirurgie cardiaque (English: WG85-1480)
FF85-2202 Interaction des contraceptifs avec les médicaments – sugammadex et/ou aprépitant (English: WP85-2076)
                    Previous title: Interaction des contraceptifs avec le sugammadex (Bridion™)
FF85-1786 Après l’extraction des dents ou l’extraction des dents de sagesse (English: WU85-0646)
FF85-2505 NEW Parler de vos objectifs de soins et choisir un niveau d'intervention (English: WX85-2208)
FF85-2515 NEW Préparation pour l’utilisation de votre pompe à insuline (English: WK85-2491, Arabic: AR85-2512)

Geriatrics 
WT85-2519 NEW Geriatric Assessment Clinic - Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital

Gynecology & Reproductive Health
WP85-2285 High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy - South Shore Regional Hospital

Hospital Information
WX85-2056 Ethics Tool - Help with Ethical Issues (En français: FF85-2142, Arabic: AR85-2153, Simplified Chinese: CH85-2168)
WX85-2514 NEW Find Patient Education Resources Online

Laboratory Pathology
QY85-1976 24-Hour Urine Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1971 Stool Collection for Ova and Parasites - South Shore Regional Hospital

Medications
QV85-2262 Benzodiazepines for Alcohol Withdrawal
QV85-2269 Disulfiram for Alcohol Use Disorder
                      Previous title: Disulfiram for Alcohol Dependence

Nutrition & Food
LC85-0510 Vegetarian Variety
LC85-2513 NEW Counting Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index
LC85-2518 NEW Prehab: Eating Well Before Surgery

Pain Management
PM85-1654 Halifax Pain Self-Management Program 

Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
WB85-1672 Active Cycle Breathing Technique (ACBT) (En français: FF85-2200)

Urogenital System
WJ85-2501 Urine Testing After Surgery
WJ85-2510 NEW Mid-stream Urine Collection - Valley Regional Hospital and Yarmouth Regional Hospital

The following pamphlets were archived in August 2025:
WD85-2038 Understanding Grief - Palliative Care Unit: Aberdeen Hospital

If a pamphlet that has been archived is still needed, please let us know as soon as possible and we will work with you to make it available again.
 

Kendell Fitzgerald

Librarian Educator
Central Zone

We keep in mind health care workers' busy schedules, offering sessions on a variety of dates and times. There is sure to be a session suitable for you. Register for one or several classes below, offered from September through December:

• Accessing Full Text
  It can be challenging enough to find the journal articles that you need, but then accessing the full text of the article can also be difficult. Library Services pays for several subscriptions to give you access to many articles. This session will help you access them. The session will also help you get the full text of articles to which Library Services doesn't provide access.
• Developing Patient Education Pamphlets
  This session highlights how easy-to-read and up-to-date patient education materials can support patient care and safety. Learn how to get started, what is involved in developing and updating pamphlets, and how to find, use and share pamphlets effectively.
• Find it Fast
  This session focuses on navigating core library tools and resources, including the catalogue, ejournals and ebooks, and databases. Learn how to access library resources and services through this virtual tour.
• Finding Free-to-use Images: Public domain, open licenses, and more!
  In this hands-on session, you’ll work with a sample search to find free-of-charge or open-licensed photographs, illustrations, and more in Google Images, Microsoft products, as well as reputable online sources. You’ll learn to interpret how images are licensed and how to cite them appropriately.
• Introduction to Covidence
  Covidence is now available through Nova Scotia Health’s institutional license. Covidence is an online software that allows research teams to collaborate through each stage of a knowledge synthesis project (e.g. systematic reviews).
• Introduction to Knowledge Synthesis
  Library Services has a new, free service to support researchers in their knowledge synthesis projects (e.g. systematic reviews, scoping reviews, etc.). This session will outline how the service works, who can access it, and what the librarians can do for your team.
• Managing Citations with Zotero NEW
  Tired of manually formatting references or losing track of your sources? In this session, we’ll cover how to install Zotero, collect references from websites, databases, and PDFs, organize your library with folders, and generate in-text citations and bibliographies in multiple styles.
• Using Generative A.I. NEW
  Generative A.I. (also called Gen A.I.) is a term for any A.I. that creates text, images, video, and audio to meet and/or respond to your prompts. Gen A.I. is growing increasingly popular, with some of the most well-known Gen A.I. tools being ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, and DALL-E. This session will give a general overview of generative A.I., including what to consider before, during, and after you use a Gen A.I. tool.

Amanda Andrews

Librarian Educator, Education & Training Lead
Eastern Zone - Cape Breton, Guysborough, Antigonish

Both Zotero and Covidence can store, manage, and deduplicate citations. However, they differ significantly in their application and scope.

What is Zotero?

Zotero is a free citation management software that includes a desktop application and a browser extension.

What you can do with Zotero:

• Save bibliographic information from any page on the internet.
• Import citations through various file types (e.g. BibTeX, RIS, Zotero RDF).
• Sort your citations into folders and sub-folders.
• Create a single citation or an entire reference bibliography in any citation style.

Learn more about accessing and using Zotero:

• Visit our Citation Management subject guide for more information about accessing and using Zotero.
• Visit the Zotero website for tutorials and information on how to make the most out of Zotero.
• Visit the Zotero blog and forums to troubleshoot very specific issues that you may encounter.

TIP: You can use Google to search within the Zotero blog and forum by adding site: forums.zotero.org/discussions or site: zotero.org/blog/ after your Google search query. This limits your search to only those sites. For example, to learn how to add full-text PDFs to your saved citations, search full text pdf site:zotero.org/blog/.

What is Covidence?

Covidence is a web-based software that lets members of a research team collaborate through the various stages of a knowledge synthesis project (such as a systematic review). Nova Scotia Health has an institutional license to Covidence, which means Covidence is now free to use for Nova Scotia Health staff!

What you can do with Covidence:

• Upload citations
• Screen titles and abstracts
• Screen full-text articles and resources
• Complete data extraction

Learn more about accessing and using Covidence:

• To create an account or join your existing account to our license, follow the steps outlined on our Institutional Subscriber page or our Knowledge Synthesis and Covidence subject guide.
• For articles, books, and training webinars, visit Covidence Academy
• For troubleshooting and detailed walkthroughs, visit Covidence Knowledge Base
• For both shorter and longer video content (including recorded webinars) that are accessible to the public, visit Covidence’s YouTube Channel

What’s the difference?

Zotero is great for organizing literature sources, creating reference lists, and assisting with in-text citation. You will likely find Zotero more useful for everyday research needs.

Covidence is best for conducting knowledge synthesis projects with a team that will lead to a published review article. Outside of scholarly publications, Covidence could also be used by a team to screen through a large amount of potentially relevant literature to find those that are most relevant to your specific needs.

Both tools have distinct features that make them suitable for different purposes. The table below lists the different strengths of each tool, depending on your project needs:

Interested in learning more about knowledge synthesis? Check out our Knowledge Synthesis and Covidence subject guide!

Reach out to LitSearch@nshealth.ca with your questions.

Kendell Fitzgerald

Librarian Educator
Halifax Infirmary, Central Zone

Vinson Li

Librarian Educator
Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Western Zone

UPDATED: July 28, 2025.   Original Post: November 8, 2017

Developing a clear question is an important first step when researching information to guide your work and/or decision-making, and when preparing for a potential research project. In health care, practitioners and researchers are faced with complex questions which make starting the research process a daunting task. A well-built question is clear, focused, and summarizes the issue to be investigated. Determining the type of question will help you select the best resource to consult for your answer.

Background vs. Foreground Questions

Background questions are used to gather general information, typically asking the 5Ws: Who? What? When? Where? Why? To answer these questions, start with general resources, such as overview textbooks, summaries, medical directories, etc.

Example: Looking for general information on diabetes care? Search for resources using Library Services' Discover search. Use the filters on the left-hand side of the page to retrieve results for books to find general information on the disease and its presentation.

Other helpful resources for answering background questions include Library Services’ Subject Guides, which contain best bets on library resources for specific topics in healthcare research. Need resources that inform patient care? Our collection of Clinical Practice Supports highlights information and tools for clinical staff.

Building Foreground Questions

Foreground questions are specific and complex. They often consider multiple factors to guide decision making and/or inform further research.

Example: In women with migraine and aura, how does use of combination birth control pills affect risk of stroke compared to progestin-only birth control?

Clearly articulating a foreground question and identifying key components can be challenging. Using the PICO(T) model can help you identify your key concepts and build your question before examining the literature.

PICO Example:

This Evidence Based Practice module from Dalhousie University's Kellogg Library takes you through the steps of creating an answerable clinical question using PICO.

Structuring your Search

Using PICO to develop your question will help you identify key search concepts. Tools like a search planning grid can help you plan and organize your PICO criteria into search terms. Once identified, additional terms can be derived from synonyms and related concepts to expand your search results.

Once you have determined the key terms for your search, you will be able to search databases and search engines by combining your terms using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).

Still have Questions?

Visit Library Services’ Searching guide for more tips and assistance. Book a one-on-one consultation with a Librarian Educator to discuss building effective research questions or request a custom education session on the topic. Want to get started on searching? Try out your question-building skills by submitting a literature search request. We bet your results will be more relevant!

Happy searching!

Selena MacDonald

Librarian Educator
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone

Writing in plain language matters. In Canada, it’s reported that nine million people have limited literacy skills, with over half of Canadians reading below a high school level. This is just one of the reasons why it is important to offer additional support to patients and families with easy-to-read, straightforward patient pamphlets. For more information about creating or updating patient pamphlets, please visit the Patient Education Resources subject guide. Contact Pamphlets@nshealth.ca with any questions. You can search for pamphlets by title or keyword in the pamphlets catalogue, or view the complete listing of active titles in our Print Code Index.

The following pamphlets were updated or created in July 2025. 

Cardiovascular System 
WG85-2502 Your Passport to Cardiovascular Health
WG85-0636 Catheter Ablation (En français: FF85-1914)
WG85-0698 Dobutamine® Stress Echocardiogram

Diagnostic Imaging 
WN85-1171 Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) - Halifax Infirmary
                    Previous title: Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) - Halifax Infirmary
WN85-1370 Getting Ready for a Computed Tomography (CT) Virtual Colonoscopy

French Translations (en français)
FF85-2103 Bloc nerveux pour gérer la douleur pendant l’opération (English: PM85-1377)
                   Previous title: Anesthésie par bloc nerveux pour supprimer la douleur pendant l’opération
FF85-2104 Analgésie épidurale après une opération (English: PM85-1378)
FF85-2061 Pneumonie (English: WA85-0368)
FF85-2080 Constipation (English: WA85-0692)
FF85-1898 Après une chirurgie de la main (English: WO85-0588)
FF85-2507 NEW Comprendre les dernières semaines, journées et heures de la vie (English: WD85-2450)
FF85-2508 NEW Se préparer à la fin de vie et à la mort (English: WD85-2457)

Gynecology & Reproductive Health
WP85-1928 Hand Expressing Breast Milk Before Your Baby is Born

Hematology
WH85-2136 Phlebotomy
WH85-1247 Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG)
WH85-2506 NEW Intravenous (I.V.) Iron Infusions - Medical Day Unit

Hospitals
WX85-2046 Harbour View Hospital Adult Day Program
WX85-0436 Sleep Disorders Laboratory
WX85-1620 Choosing a CPAP Provider
WX85-2504 NEW Community Outreach Team - West Bedford Transitional Health 

Infectious Disease
WC85-0602 Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) (En français: FF85-1852)
WC85-1036 Hand Hygiene (En français: FF85-1781)
WC85-1382 Viral Gastroenteritis - Diarrhea and Vomiting (En français: FF85-1855)
WC85-1441 Infection Prevention and Control (En français: FF85-1216)
WC85-1551 Respiratory (Breathing) Infections (En français: FF85-1552)

Intensive Care Unit
IC85-2069 Intensive Care Unit Getting You Moving - Cape Breton Regional Hospital (En français: FF85-2148)

Laboratory Pathology
QY85-1977 Stool Collection for Culture - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1978 Sputum Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1980 Semen Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1984 Stool Collection for Clostridium difficile (C. diff) - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1985 24-Hour Urine Collection for Porphyrins - South Shore Regional Hospital 
                     Previous title: Urine 24-Hour Porphyrins Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1988 24-Hour Urine Collection for Catecholamines, 5HIAA, VMA, and Metanephrines - South Shore Regional Hospital
                     Previous title: Urine 24-Hour Catecholamines, 5HIAA, VMA, and Metanephrines Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1993 48 or 72-Hour Fecal Fat Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
                     Previous title: Stool 72-Hour Fecal Fat Collection - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1994 Stool Collection for Occult Blood - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1995 Skin, Hair, and Nail Collection for Culture - South Shore Regional Hospital
QY85-1996 Urine Collection for Chlamydia - South Shore Regional Hospital 

Mental Health & Addictions
WM85-0761 Bipolar Disorder
WM85-0766 Depression

Musculoskeletal System
WE85-1582 Pressure Injury (Ulcer) Prevention (En français: FF85-1795)

Nephrology
WQ85-1032 Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheter
WQ85-1093 Non-tunneled Hemodialysis Catheter

Nutrition & Food
LC85-1206 Gastroparesis Meal Planning

Ophthalmology
WW85-0464 YAG Laser Capsulotomy (En français: FF85-1947)

Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
WB85-2055 Gradient Compression Stockings - Eastern Zone
WB85-1450 Exercises After Elbow Injury
 

The following pamphlets were archived in July 2025:
FF85-1657 Prévention des chutes : liste de contrôle (English: WB85-1649)
WX85-1850 Need a primary health care provider?
FF85-1947 Capsulotomie au laser YAG (English: WW85-0464)

If a pamphlet that has been archived is still needed, please let us know as soon as possible and we will work with you to make it available again.

Kendell Fitzgerald

Librarian Educator
Central Zone