Thursday, July 3, 2025

Artwork of the Month - July 2025: "L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) or Dissection of a Woman's Back"

L ' Ange anatomique (The Anatomical Angel) 
or Dissection of a Woman's Back
by Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty

In addition to the monthly Art-in-Medicine series, Lucinda Bennett, Ascension Medical Librarian at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, also features a monthly artwork that may be of interest to those who work in medicine.  

“[Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty's] studies began as a pupil of the painter and engraver Jacob Christoph Le Blon, the inventor of the first engraving and printing process that involved the use of colors (blue, yellow and red).  D'Agoty claimed that he proposed an improved method, using black, but was rebuffed by Le Blon. In any event, it was d'Agoty and his sons who popularized the process of color engraving in France. For many years, they published a journal with color illustrations.

He was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences, Arts et Belles-Lettres de Dijon. He is best remembered for collaborating with the physician and anatomist, Guichard Joseph Duverney to produce albums of anatomical charts: the Myologie complete en couleur et grandeur naturelle (1746). The tendons and veins were described as standing out in "horrible precision".

Together with his sons, Jean-Baptiste, Honoré-Louis, Jean-Fabien, Édouard and Arnauld-Éloi [fr], he produced a "French Gallery" and a "Universal Gallery" of portraits of famous men and women, which were published in 1770 and 1772.” (Wiki)

Geography: France

Culture: Western European

Artist: Jacques-Fabien Gautier Dagoty (French, 1716 - 1785)

Medium: Color mezzotint on laid paper

Dimensions: Plate: 61.2 x 46 cm (24 1/8 x 18 1/8 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen

Accession Number: 2012.92.47



Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Art in Medicine - July 2025: NLM Collections


Collections on the NLM Website, June 2025, Digital Collection Page 


Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.


National Library of Medicine (NLM) Collections

As one of the leading institutions in medical research, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in the United States boasts a formidable collection. NLM is the entity which oversees PubMed,
Medline, MeSH and all government clinical trials. Contained in their holdings are books, journals, technical reports, manuscripts, microfilm, and photos. 

This month we will investigate the collections of the NLM, how they categorize and preserve historic items and what is available for the general public as well as private researchers.

“We create exhibitions to enhance awareness and appreciation of the NLM’s trusted health information resources.  Our exhibitions feature the library’s rich collections, which encompass ten centuries of medical knowledge. As part of a U.S. national library, we seek to advance public understanding of National Library of Medicine how the past informs the present—and can shape the future. Our exhibitions focus on a variety of topics which explore the relationship between medicine and the arts, science and society, patients and practitioners, and the technology of medicine. Subjects of these exhibitions include the history of lead poisoning in America, the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, African American academic surgeons, and the history of women physicians, among others.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

Today, the National Library of Medicine encompasses not only a collection of physical media but a robust selection of online materials. However, that was not always the case as for most of history all knowledge was recorded via hand written or printed documents. As we are a young nation, how did such an institution grow so quickly in so short a time? It was not until after the War of 1812 that the collection which would one day become the NLM began to form. On their exhibitions website, the National Library of Medicine tells the story of its founding, starting with the earliest donation of medical texts in a private assembly.

“When Dr. Joseph Lovell took up his position as the first Surgeon General of the Army in 1818, he filled a few of his office shelves with books, journals, and pamphlets to serve as a reference collection for the Army surgeons under his command. In 1836, the US government for the first time provided funds for “books for the office,” and the growing collection officially became the Library of the Office of the Surgeon General, United States Army. The collection grew measurably after the Civil War, when the Surgeon General’s Library received an infusion of medical books and journals from the Army’s temporary hospitals. To take charge of the burgeoning collection, the Army summoned 27-year-old career Army medical officer and book lover John Shaw Billings. MD (1838–1913), who set out to create a comprehensive collection of medical materials. The relentless Billings wrote letters to physicians, editors, health and government officials, librarians, and society officers requesting donations, exchanges, and outright purchases. He accosted State Department officials traveling overseas, entreating them to bring back foreign medical books and journals.” (NLM, Exhibitions)

The remainder of this history website goes on to describe the growth of the Library throughout the 19th century, both World Wars, the construction of a new building to house the collection and the breadth of topics covered.  


Sagittal Series, Etching, color, 1968, National Library of Medicine 

Moving on, how do the archivists and preservationists keep such important items in good condition? Preservation is a field all to itself, and is highly specialized depending on the materials being addressed. “We use calibrated data loggers to measure and monitor the temperature and relative humidity of the underground collection spaces.  Temperature and relative humidity have an inverse relationship: when the heaters turn on in colder months, they dry the air and the relative humidity gets lower. In the warmer months, the A/C introduces moisture to the air as the inside temperature gets cooler, and the relative humidity increases ...  The NIH Integrated Pest Management team (IPM) supports us in monitoring pest levels. Pests, especially cockroaches, mice, and silverfish, LOVE library materials—they find
them both tasty and a good place to make their nests. And since we are trying to preserve our library collection and not start a new zoo, we work with IPM to prevent pesky critters from getting into the building. This also involves keeping our office areas clean and not bringing any food or drinks into the collection spaces. We also isolate incoming collection materials to make sure they are clean before integrating them into our processing and storage areas ...  The National Library of Medicine has a long history of preserving its collection through reformatting. This includes making photographic copies, like this librarian using a mobile camera in the stacks back in 1969. We also have an extensive microfilm collection. While microfilm might
seem tedious to access, it is actually an important and well-respected form of preservation. Polyester microfilm is rated to last for at least 500 years, if not longer, and all you need to access it is a light source and magnifying glass!” (NLM, Preservation)

What might not immediately come to mind when one considers the NLM is the presence of works of art. However, this Library does address, collect and display a great number of art pieces. In fact, there are databases and webpages dedicated to the various artworks contained in the Library’s holdings. One such exhibition was dedicated to a 20th century artist whose approach to anatomy became of interest to both visual art lovers as well as medical professionals. “Art is a profound medium for storytelling, and May Lesser stands among the artists who have used it effectively to capture the nuances of the medical world. Between 1966 and 1971, Lesser created more than 45 pieces that explore the complexities of medicine and humanity. In 1994, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) displayed her artwork in physical and online exhibitions that showcased her artistic and cultural contributions. Both served to foster dialogue about the complexities of healthcare and the human condition. Through pivotal works such as Sagittal Series, Blood Clot, and The Charity Wait, Lesser demonstrated her skill in capturing the unseen moments of medical practice that ensure her art remains timeless and transformative. In 2013, staff of the library rehoused a collection of thirty-nine Lesser prints which were donated to the Library in 2011, and remain preserved and available for study in its prints and photographs collection. These prints document the artist’s efforts to capture the emotional and physical realities of patients and practitioners.” (NLM, May Lessar)

References:


Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Ascension selects new point-of-care tool for Nursing


Ascension has selected Elsevier's ClinicalKey [Nursing] and Clinical Skills as our designated point-of-care (POC) tools across all ministries, with the transition planned for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. 

A POC tool is an essential resource designed to help nurses and allied health professionals find the most clinically relevant answers through a wide range of evidence-based content.

Why it matters

Transitioning from NRC+ to Elsevier aligns with our Mission of caring for those in need, 
especially the most vulnerable, to enhance access to care and unify our resources across 
the system. This change empowers our clinical community with robust, evidence-based 
tools and supports our commitment to holistic care.

Key benefits

  • Expanded access to resources for allied health and specialty nursing areas
  • Over 2,000 nursing and allied health skills and procedures for clinic/ambulatory,                                           acute and post-acute patient care settings
  • 500+ topic pages with concise overviews about disease conditions,                                                        paired with links to in-depth content and drug-related information
  • 90+ market-leading nursing and allied health books
  • 60+ market-leading nursing and allied health journals
  • Evidence-based Nursing Monographs and Drug Monographs
  • Clinical overviews and updates on many disease conditions and care practices
  • Multimedia including images and videos
  • Patient Education Handouts
  • Core measures, Labs, calculators and more
  • Mobile app


What’s next

Look for additional updates over the next few weeks from Ascension Nursing. 

They’ll be providing training sessions and educational resources 

to support you throughout this transition.


Published June 25, 2025 in Good Day Ascension.


*  Note: AW Library Services will be integrating Clinical Key Nursing into the AW Library pages, 

and provide limited support for this new tool, as it is owned by Ascension Nursing, and is not a Library subscription

.

Monday, June 23, 2025

AW Library Newsletter - June 2025: AORN Guidelines+ - EBP Workshop Series - CK Content Updates - Articles of Interest for Nursing - Art in Medicine

Ascension Wisconsin Librarians support your health care decisions with evidence-based research and full text resources.


Contact us for research, articles, training, or online access.
Just ask!

The easiest way to find AW Library Services is to Google "Ascension Wisconsin Library.


Catch up on the latest news from Ascension Wisconsin Library Services:


AORN Guidelines + Now Available across Ascension



Questions, comments, or search requests,
contact Your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians:

Michele Matucheski & Kellee Selden

Use the Request Form if you need research or articles.


Our AW Library website is available 24/7.

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Updated eBook: AWHONN's High Risk & Critical Care Obstetrics, 5th ed.




Ascension Wisconsin Library Services purchased online access to the following new ed.  nursing eBook:


by  Nan Troiano, Patricia Witcher, and Suzanne Baird


It is also linked in context on the respective Nursing LibGuide:

Follow the direct link above to take a look, or bookmark them for future reference.


You can also access these (and many others) anytime through our AW Library Catalog.


Questions or comments, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians:

                                    Michele Matucheski   and   Kellee Selden


Wednesday, June 18, 2025

AORN Guidelines + Now Available across Ascension

 


Ascension Nursing / Clinical Professional Development is pleased to announce nationwide access to AORN's eGuidelines+

The AW Library still offers access to the 2025 AORN Guidelines via R2, though AORN eGuidelines+ offers many more bells and whistles.


    You'll find links for the new AORN Guidelines+ on the following AW Library Pages.  Be sure you are logged in, working on campus, or otherwise authenticated in order to access.



    Our subscription includes:

    • All Guidelines for Perioperative Practice

    • Guideline Quick Views with how-to videos

    • Over 200 searchable, clinical FAQs

    • In-service PowerPoints

    • Audit Tools

    • Case Studies

    • Clinical Calculators

    • Clinical Checklists

    • Gap Analysis Tools

    • Implementation Roadmap

    • Key Takeaways

    • Perioperative Job Descriptions

    • Policy and Procedure Templates

    • Competency Verification Tools

    • Anesthesia at a Glance

    • Medication at a Glance

    • Procedures at a Glance

    • Positioning at a Glance

    • Skin prep at a Glance

    • Guidelines and Tools for the Sterile Processing Team

    • AORN Guideline and FAQs for Autologous Tissue Management

    • Core Curriculum for the RNFA

     


    Watch this helpful video overview on AORN eGuidelines Plus overview YouTube video (3 min.).     


    Ascension Library Services is pleased to be able to provide access to this tool, but we don't "own" it.  We partnered with Ascension Nursing CPD to include it on the AW Library website.  As such, Library Services can provide only limited support for this tool.

    If you have any questions or issues with access, please contact Ryan Woods, Sr Operations Support Specialist  skoon@aorn.org.   You can also contact AORN directly at cs@aorn.org or 1-800-755-2676.


    Tuesday, June 17, 2025

    Articles of Interest for Nursing: June 2025

     

    Unfortunately, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins is no longer offering Nurses Choice / Recommended Reading.  Because this has been so popular with our AW nurses, I'm going to try to pick "articles-of-interest" from our Top Nursing Journals from the past few weeks. 

    Suggest a Nursing Article:  If you read a great nursing article recently and want to share it here with your Ascension WI colleagues, contact Michele.Matucheski@ascension.org to have it included in a future ed. 


    Africa L, Harris S. What New Graduate Nurses Value From Their Nurse Managers: A Reflection on Effective Manager Practices. Nurs Adm Q. 2025 Jul-Sep 01;49(3):166-173. doi: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000686. Epub 2025 May 28. PMID: 40443043.  Link to article.

    Gallagher K. A National Perspective: The Vital Impact of Nurse Leaders in Transition to Practice Success. Nurs Adm Q. 2025 Jul-Sep 01;49(3):191-198. doi: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000688. Epub 2025 May 28. PMID: 40443041.  Link to article.

    Jones LA, Altman KM. Slips and slides: Preventing hospitalized patients from falling out of chairs. Nursing. 2025 Jun 1;55(6):54-60. doi: 10.1097/NSG.0000000000000202. Epub 2025 May 19. PMID: 40388237.  Link to article.  

    DeGroot L, Pavlovic N, et. al. The Association of Unmet Palliative Care Needs and Physical Frailty With Clinical Outcomes: A Prospective Study of Adults With Heart Failure. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2025 Jul-Aug 01;40(4):296-303. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000001087. Epub 2024 Apr 17. PMID: 38635901; PMCID: PMC11483232.  Link to article.

    Gocus-Browning B. Exploring, Investigating and Uncovering: What Is PI [Process Improvement]? Orthop Nurs. 2025 May-Jun 01;44(3):193-195. doi: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000001118. Epub 2025 May 26. PMID: 40466122.  Link to article.

    Harding MM, Larson KL, Bolin LP. The Lived Experience of Individuals With Prosthetic Joint Infection. Orthop Nurs. 2025 May-Jun 01;44(3):158-166. doi: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000001122. Epub 2025 May 26. PMID: 40466116.  Link to article.

    Terrell J, Smith K, Philippe AE, Booker SQ. Reducing Diagnostic Bias in Oxygenation Assessments. Am J Nurs. 2025 Jun 1;125(6):10-11. doi: 10.1097/AJN.0000000000000086. Epub 2025 May 22. PMID: 40403250.   Link to article.

    Zhu X, Yang L, Ning J, Li B, Chen Y, Luo Z. Exploring the Braden QD Scale Assessment Performance and Related Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury Influencing Factors among Critically Ill Adult Patients. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2025 Jun 1;38(5):239-244. doi: 10.1097/ASW.0000000000000301. Epub 2025 Apr 18. PMID: 40249357.  Link to article.  

    Porter-O'Grady T. Nursing's Commitment to the Principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Historical and Ethical Imperatives. J Nurs Adm. 2025 Jun 1;55(6):313-315. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001590. PMID: 40397775.  Link to article.

    Hamby A, Worley-Morse M, Peters L, Rannie M, Givens P, Kleiner C. Redesign of a Clinical Advancement Program to Highlight Clinical Expertise. J Nurs Adm. 2025 Jun 1;55(6):323-328. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001583. PMID: 40397776.  Link to article.


    These articles are licensed for Ascension Wisconsin, and not otherwise free-on-the-internet.

    * Questions about access, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians

     Michele Matucheski        Kellee Selden


    Thursday, June 12, 2025

    Accessibility in the Arts with Bare Feet




    Mickela asks the question, “What does ACCESSIBILITY mean?” for disabled artists and audiences in the United States. She meets with pioneering artists including professional physically integrated dance companies and dance programs for children with disabilities.

    I was watching PBS the other night and saw an episode of Bare Feet, by a woman who travels the world "one dance at a time."  This is one of my favorite shows on PBS, but this one seemed to tie in with work.  She did an episode on "Accessibility in the Arts."  Really moving stuff [Literally!], esp. because her own sister has cerebral palsy, and would have benefited from many of these programs growing up. 

    In the introduction, Mallozzi says:

    "The Disability Community is the only minority group that any one of us can become a member of at any point in our lives.  On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (The ADA) was signed into law, protecting people with disabilities from discrimination from voting to parking and other aspects of public life. But is it enough?"

    I hope you appreciate it as much as I did.  Share with your Rehab people!


    Dancing Wheels: Art Motion Dance

    Tuesday, June 10, 2025

    Evidence-based Practice Workshop: 5-part Virtual Series

     


    Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Workshop series
    We are excited to be launching a five-part virtual EBP workshop series designed for nurses of all levels.
     
    Dive into the world of EBP with engaging sessions that transform intimidating concepts into practical, every day tools.
     
    These workshops will provide practical strategies, discussions and applications of EBP methods from getting started to sustaining change, fostering an evidence-informed nursing culture.
     
    The first session titled “QI, EBP and Research: Differences & Commonalities” is on Wednesday, June 11. All sessions will be 1-2:30 p.m. CT /2-3:30 p.m. ET.  
    Learn more about the series.



    Calls to action
      • Share this slide about the workshop series with your teams and encourage them to attend the full series or any individual session.
      • Click here to add this series to your calendar.