CHIS on demand Module 1: Know your Community

This class is designed for anyone interested in providing consumer health information to their community, with a focus on libraries and information centers. The goal of this class is to allow learners to earn up to 5 continuing education credit hours towards the Level 1 Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) from the Medical Library Association by taking modules 1-5. Modules that address competencies 7-8 are available to go toward Level 2.

Separate modules cover each Level 1 CHIS competency:

• Module 1: Know the Community
• Module 2: Know the Health Consumer 
• Module 3: Knowledge of Subject Matter and Resources 
• Module 4: Evaluation of Health Information 
• Module 5: Communication, Reference, and Instruction 

Additional modules that cover Level 2 CHIS competencies:

• Module 7: Technology and Health
  
• Module 8: Ethics and Legal Issues
  

Modules can be completed in any order.

Each Module takes about 1 hour to complete and includes a reading and a knowledge check.

This class is provided entirely online and self-paced through the Moodle learning management system.

Resource URL: https://nnlm.gov/chis-on-demand

Learning Objectives

Through books and knowledge checks, learners will

1. Learn about the Consumer Health Information Specialization
2. Identify resources to identify characteristics of their community
3. Identify issues, barriers and the library’s role in providing medical information to health consumers
4. Identify MedlinePlus, PubMed, Clinical Trials and other NLM resources as sources for health information
5. List simple criteria to evaluate online health information
6. List 3 communication techniques and 2 ways to protect patron privacy during a health reference interview.

Agenda

Module 1: Know your Community

By reading 2 books and taking a quiz, you will be able to:

• List resources that can identify characteristics of the community served by your library, including resources for demographics, health issues in your community, and needs of community members.
• Summarize the characteristics of their own community, including demographics and health status indicators.
• Recognize the 3 pillars of cultural humility as they relate to libraries and how they influence workplace environments.

Activities

• Reading 1 – Knowing your Community
• Reading 2 – Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility
• Quiz

MLA CE Credits: 1