Classification of clinical nursing texts: a new approach.

摘要

THE National Library of Medicine Classification, now in its third edition, is used in many health science libraries [1]. It was devised in 1944 by a Classification Committee under the chairmanship of Keyes D. Metcalf on the premise that the classification system should "profit by modern thought on subject grouping and subject development" and should allow for future expansion [2]. This system has proved to be a very valuable as well as widely used plan of organization of medical and related texts. However, after attempting unsuccessfully for five years to adequately organize clinical nursing texts using the categories provided by this classification system, the author strongly feels that a new approach to organization of these texts is needed to carry out the original premise upon which the classification is based.