Abby M. Bricker
1201 Braddock Pl. #1005, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314 | 508-340-7074
fernalda@email.sc.edu or abby.fernald@gmail.com
Education
Master of Library and Information Science | December 2023 | University of South Carolina
Certificate of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | December 2023 | University of South Carolina
Bachelor of Science in Nursing | May 2015 | University of South Carolina
Related Experience
Research and Technology Specialist | Northern Virginia Community College | 08/2022 – present
Research and database education in small groups or individual sessions including: accessing databases, search strategies, anatomy of a research article, lateral reading, discerning source type and authority level, and comparing sources
Leading and assisting classroom instruction sessions for general library education, database use, and project-specific classroom instruction sessions
Providing faculty consults to assist in establishing the scope and requirements of research projects
Conducting reference interviews with students, faculty, staff, and community users seeking physical and digital resources in person and via LibChat
Instruction on using APA style formatting, writing, and citations in small groups or individual sessions in person and via LibChat
Creation and continuation of a broad range of passive and active programming to engage library users and promote library services including: static and interactive rotating displays, heritage and cultural appreciation-based activities, self-care activities, craft-based activities
Management, maintenance, and troubleshooting of library technology including: copiers, printers, scanners, desktop computers, laptops, iPads, Zspace, mediascape, Silver Bullet, and interactive displays
Assisting with collection development including: weeding, shifting, and shelf-reading the physical collection, fulfilling interlibrary loans via WorldCat, and daily circulation needs via Alma
Fostering relationships with other departments (i.e. Student Life), organizations (i.e. Physical Therapy Assistants’ Association), campuses, and institutions (i.e. National Library of Medicine) through collaborative activities and events
Library Intern | Northern Virginia Community College | 05/2022 – 07/2022
Creation of library resources available to students, faculty, staff, and the public including LibGuides for consumer health and health literacy
Under the supervision of Lead Medical Librarian, assisted with collection development by reviewing suggested texts for purchasing and comparing potential collection additions to the current collection
Physical collection weeding, shifting, and shelf reading
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant | University of South Carolina | 01/2021 – 05/2022
Under the supervision of Dr. Feili Tu-Keefner: identification and analysis of content related to COVID-19 released or promoted by large U.S. public library systems
Served as a student-professor liaison including assessing student participation, assisting students providing feedback, and communication and entry of grading
Publications
Presentations
Crises may just be the opportunities for transformations. How public libraries have been serving their communities since the pandemic hit the United States International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Libraries: Places that Care for People seminar, May 2022
Content analysis and readability of COVID-19 consumer health information from the CDC and WHO and recommendations for public library professionals
Do your general public users understand the COVID-19 health information you have provided? A content analytical study Medical Library Association Annual Meeting & Exhibition, April 2022
Content analysis and readability of COVID-19 consumer health information from MedlinePlus and Mayo Clinic and recommendations for medical library professionals
Is the COVID-19 health information that you provided understood by your general public users? A content analytical study International Congress of Medical Librarianship (ICML) and the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA) Joint Conference, March 2022
Content analysis and readability of COVID-19 consumer health information and recommendations for public health and information professionals
Papers
Tu-Keefner, F., Hobbs, A., & Bricker, A. (2022, December). Is the authoritative online COVID-19 consumer health information intelligible to adults of the general public?: A COVID-19 information analysis. Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet, 26 (4), 373-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/15398285.2022.2124493
Tu-Keefner, F., Hobbs, A., & Bricker, A. (2022, March). Is your COVID-19 health information understood by adults in the general public? A content analysis of online resources published by the CDC and the WHO [presentation paper]. Proceedings of the International Congress of Medical Librarianship (ICML) and the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA) Joint Conference.
Additional Work Experience
Health Risk and Condition Management Nurse | Premise Health | 03/2019 – 12/2020
Patient education including chronic condition education and management, SMART goal setting, behavior and lifestyle changes
Creating and implementing new workflows, charting templates, and educational materials
Organizing and leading care team meetings for comprehensive management of at-risk patients
Referral management, coordination, and case management
Triage of calls, referrals, patient care, and emergencies
Performance Guarantee management and improvement including chart audits, EMR reports, creating and implementing a system for patient outreach and tracking progress
Rheumatology Medical Group Staff Nurse | NorthShore University HealthSystem | 06/2017 – 02/2019
Patient education, including detailed medication information and injection training
Insurance verification and obtaining prior authorization for medications and procedures
Obtaining scholarships for medications not covered by insurance or otherwise cost-prohibitive
Completion and submission of FMLA documentation
Medication and immunization administration
Creating and implementing new workflows, charting templates, and educational materials
Triage of calls, referrals, patient care, and emergencies
Orthopedic Staff Nurse | Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital | 11/2015 – 05/2017
Comprehensive assessment and creation of care plans
Carrying out doctor’s orders (i.e. catheter insertion/removal, drain removal, etc.), medication administration, wound care and dressing changes, peripheral and central line care and use
Patient education, including post-operative instructions
Medical-Surgical Services Nurse Resident | Palmetto Health | 07/2015 – 11/2015
Direct patient care performed on multiple units under the supervision of a Registered Nurse assigned to each unit
Skills
Library information systems: Alma
Database use: EBSCO platform, ProQuest platform, PubMed, Gale, DynaMed, UpToDate, LexiComp
SpringShare platform including: LibAnswers, LibCal, LibChat, LibGuides, LibInsight, LibWizard
Interlibrary lending and borrowing via WorldCat
Creative programs and platforms: Adobe Suite, Canva, Sir Cuts A Lot, FlipGrid
Educational platforms: Canvas, Blackboard
Electronic documentation via EPIC and Cerner PowerChart
Certifications and Awards
Technology Competencies for Paraprofessionals Certificate, American Library Association, 2022
Martha Jane Zachert Scholar, University of South Carolina 2021-2023
Registered Nurse (Virginia)
BLS Certified by the American Heart Association
Diabetes Educator Level 1 Career Path Certificate (AADE), 2018
Daisy Award Nominee, 2016