The library has a comprehensive collection of books related to operating department practice for you to find and read. You can use LibrarySearch to search for the books you need. To search for a specific book just type a few words from the title plus the surname of the author(s) into the search box. You can also search for a topic then filter to Books (or Ebooks) under Format in the left-hand column. If you get stuck – please ask!

We use the Dewey Decimal System to classify the books so it’s easier to find them. Each classmark number refers to a different subject, and can be found in a different location:

• In the Drill Hall Library (Medway), all books are in one continuous order on the ground floor, with 7-day and 4-week loans shelved together. The lowest numbers are immediately next to the library entrance.
• In Augustine House (Canterbury), the lowest numbers are on the first floor and the highest numbers are on the third floor. Remember to check the different areas housing the 7-day loan (open shelves) and 4-week loans (moving shelves).

You will find the majority of the books for ODP around the 617 classmark (the number on the spine of the book). However, there will be useful books in other areas of the library. Some useful classmarks include:

• 610.7301 - Reflective practice
• 612 - Anatomy and Physiology
• 617.91 - Surgery
• 617.96 - Anaesthesia
• 808 - Academic writing

The majority of books for your course will be found in the Drill Hall Library at Medway. However, there are relevant books at all campus libraries. You can request for books to be sent between the campus libraries for collection as intersite loans. To do this, click the Place Reservation button next to a book on LibrarySearch and specify where you would like to collect it.

Ebooks

Wherever possible we also obtain all our books as ebooks, which can be accessed on or off campus, 24 hours. Just click on Link to CCCU ebook in the record on LibrarySearch and you will usually have the option to read online or download a copy.

You can also find a collection of ebooks and audiobooks in Overdrive (find via LibrarySearch/Find databases A-Z). 

Journals are an important source of scholarly information – think of them as academic magazines that contain articles written by researchers. CCCU library subscribes to journals covering all the subjects taught here.

Print journals
Most journals are online, but you can browse printed copies of some journals on Floor 2 of Augustine House (Canterbury) in the Silent Zone (west wing) or in the Drill Hall Library's Silent Study Zone (Medway). These are shelved in alphabetical order of the journal title. These are for use in the library only.

Online journals
Use LibrarySearch.to see which journals are available to read online. Make sure you Log In first with your CCCU username and password. You can search for journal articles across all the journals simultaneously using the main search bar to search for a topic, then limiting your search results to "Academic journals" under Source Type in the right-hand column.

To find a specific journal try entering the title of a journal into the search box, or use the “Find e-journals by title” link. You can also browse e-journals by subject, using Browzine. This software allows you to read a journal like an e-book, so you can look through the whole journal rather than just individual articles. There is an app so you can use it easily on your phone or other mobile device.

There are hundreds of journals relevant for ODP. A few suggested journal titles are:

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, British Journal of Anaesthesia, British Journal of Surgery, Journal of Perioperative Practice, Surgery.

Open Access Journals
The Directory of Open Access Journals includes journals such as the Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care. Open access journals are usually scholarly, but the difference is, the publishers of these journals believe in making their research freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection. This means that you (or your institution) do not have to have a subscription to the journal to be able to read the articles they publish.

CCCU library provides research databases which contain articles about perioperative care. These are all available via LibrarySearch – just click on the “Find databases” link in the left-hand menu and you will see an alphabetical list. Browse the list until you find the one you want. Many of the key databases have guides available, which often include a video demo.

Some databases which are particularly useful for Operating Department Practice include:

• MEDLINE, also available via Pubmed - one of the biggest biomedical databases in the world, searching the contents of medical journals. 
• CINAHL - a database covering journals in nursing and allied health, with information for almost every possible health, medical and social care profession. 
• EMBASE - a large medical database with particular strengths in pharmacology and medical technology. 

Additional databases you may wish to explore:

• British Nursing Index - this has a focus on UK practice, and is useful for ODPs, midwives and other professions as well as nurses. 
• Business Source Premier: Although primarily seen as a resource for the Business School, this database covers areas including professional development and leadership, so can be extremely useful for certain assignments.
• The Cochrane Library - this includes databases of systematic reviews and clinical trials. Cochrane are viewed as world leaders on evidence-based information. 
• Maternity and Infant Care - a key database for midwifery and neonatal care. Useful for topics relating to obstetric and gynaecological surgery. 
• Scopus covers the sciences and the social sciences, including health and medicine, and has useful citation tracking features. Probably searches the greatest number of different journals.
• SportDiscus - useful for topics relating to exercise and fitness, rehabilitation from sports injuries, and orthopaedic surgery.
• TRIP database - a tool for discovering clinical evidence, including systematic reviews, guidance, primary research and much more. Based in South Wales.
• Web of Science - an interdisciplinary database, this can be particularly useful for in-depth literature reviews or for topics which cross boundaries between different disciplines. 

See also our Anatomy and Physiology guide for information about useful tools for learning A&P.

Although we often advise students and staff to use resources from the university library, there are many useful websites which can provide high-quality information for your study. When using information from the web, be careful to check who wrote it and how up-to-date it is.

Free online databases:

• International Health Technology Assessment Database - searchable information about completed and ongoing assessments of technologies used in health.
• Transfusion Evidence Library - search through evidence-based information about transfusion medicine - systematic reviews, RCTs, economic evaluations and expert commentaries.

Professional bodies and organisations:

• Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP)
• Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC)
• Royal College of Anaesthetists
• Royal College of Surgeons

The library generally does not provide access to legislation or to statistics, as these are maintained on freely-available sites. A few of the most useful are:

• Acts of Parliament and other legislation
• Publications and records of parliamentary business, classified by staff of the House of Commons Library.

• NHS England: Statistics
• Public Health Profiles - useful health-related stats
• Office for National Statistics: UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics.

In addition to reading texts, you can find a wide range of visual and audio sources and media to learn more about education.

• Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an on-demand TV and radio service and includes most major UK channels, including BBC, Channel 4 and Sky channels. Record programmes to watch back and create your own playlist. Find via LibrarySearch/Find Databases. Sign In with your CCCU log in details to register.
• Kanopy is a large, curated catalogue of over 30,000 educational documentaries and classic films. Find via LibrarySearch/Find Databases.