Conducting Lit Searches for Systematic Reviews

Shannon KealeyInstructional Services Librarian

Pace University

Steps

1. State your focused clinical question in PICO format

2. Make a chart with each of the columns starting with P, I, C, O

3. Under each PICO element, list all relevant MeSH and CINAHL subject headings, as well as keyword equivalents that are not subject headings (use EBSCO interfaces to find Subject Headings)

Sample Clinical Question

What continuity of care interventions are most effective in improving patient satisfaction and reducing hospital readmissions in adult patients receiving home care services?

Sample Search Term Chart

P I C O

Home care services (MeSH)

Continuity of patient care (MeSH, CINAHL)

NA Patient readmission (MeSH)

Home care agencies (MeSH)

“Care pathways” (KW) Readmission (CINAHL)

Home health agencies (CINAHL)

“Integrated care” (KW) Patient satisfaction (MeSH, CINAHL)

“visiting nurses” (KW)

Patient care team (MeSH) Readmit* (KW)

Community Health Nursing (MeSH)

Primary health care (MeSH) Rehospitalization (KW)

P: home care servicesI: continuity of care

C: NA

O: patient satisfaction or hospital readmission

Finding MeSH Headings

Always select “Suggest Subject Terms”

Copy the appropriate heading(s) to include on chart—run search later in PubMed when you

also have CINAHL headings

Finding CINAHL Headings

Always select “Suggest Subject Terms”

Copy the appropriate heading(s) to include on chart—run search now ONLY if you have already found all your MeSH

headings (so you can run MeSH as Keywords in CINAHL)

Click to search

the CINAHL heading

Steps (cont’d)

4. Search the databases, combining each MeSH heading, CINAHL heading, and keyword for each element with the OR operator

5. Use AND to combine the final set for P elements with the final set for I elements, etc.

Sample PubMed Search History

MeSH headings—no quotes

CINAHL (not MeSH) & KW phrases--quotes

P

I

O

P&I

P&I&O

Sample CINAHL Search

P

I

O

P&I&O

MeSH & KW phrases--quotes

CINAHL heading—no quotes but “OR” w/ KW version of heading (has quotes)

What NOT to do!

Remember!• When you run your searches, always use the

PubMed interface to Medline (includes “In-Process” and “Epub ahead of print”—newest studies)

• If you come across new MeSH or CINAHL headings as you search, add them to your chart and re-run your searches to include the new heading in all databases

• Save your PubMed searches into your MyNCBI account; save your CINAHL and PsycInfo (if applicable) searches into your MyEBSCO account

Questions?

Shannon Kealeyskealey@pace.edu

Jennifer Rosensteinjrosenstein@pace.edu