Searching Made Easier & More EffectivePractical Nursing 2014Karen Hutchens& Debbie ORielly

At the end of the session, students should be able to:Identify Search TermsPut together a search statementKnow how to use CINAHLCINAHL headings, limits, print/save Evaluate search resultsGoals

Develop a Search QuestionPicking out search terms/conceptsCome up with synonyms; alternate spellingsWrite a search statement using CINAHL headingsSetting search limitsLooking at & evaluating articlesSave/print articles or alter search strategy (go back to step 2 or 3)Check search termsCheck spellingSearch too narrow or too broad

Steps to Searching

Purpose of Search Question

To determine what you want to knowTo help identify search terms or concepts

Search Question

Scenario:Your instructor is planning a discussion in class on how to prevent falls in the elderly living in a seniors home. She asks each student to find good current nursing articles on the subject for class.Search Question

What current information is available about fall prevention in a seniors home?Search Questions

Key Term 1Key Term 2Key Term 3 Falls elderlySeniors home OR OR OR preventing fallsolder adultsOld age home OR OR ORsafety seniorslong term care OR OR agednursing homes

Search Terms

( ) brackets keep similar terms/concepts together (elderly OR aged OR seniors)

parentheses used for phrases ONLYnursing homes assisted suicide pediatric nurse

* Truncation can be substituted for any number of letters

teen* = teen, teens, teenager, teenagernurs* = nurse, nursing, nurses, nurses

Other Useful Tools

Link together main search terms and their synonyms and alternative spellings using Boolean terms AND ORUse this statement for database searchSearch Statement

Example:nursing home OR long term careANDaccidental fallsANDpreventionANDnurs*(SO Publication Name)

Search Statement

Popular vs. ScholarlySpecific, in-depth articlesOriginal research, new developments in fieldWritten and intended for specialists, studentsPeer-reviewedStandard formatTables, graphs, textContinuous paginationBroad, shorter articlesOverview, social issues, public opinionStaff, freelance, popular languageIn-houseFew referencesAttract, advertising, entertainEach issue page 1

To access CINAHL, go to this site:http://www.library.mun.ca

Make the following selections to get to CINAHL1.Choose Articles tab2. To Find articles on any topic, use article search3. Indexes by Subjects, select nursing4. CINAHL with full text

CINAHL

Once in CINAHL, always go to CINAHL Headings first to check your search terms.

If CINAHL heading suggest other terms to use, write them downClick on New Search, and enter your search termsCINAHL Headings

Year: last 5 yearsEnglish languageThere are articles in CINAHL in other languages. At the end of the article title you will see [language]. Even though the abstract is in English, the article will be in the language indicated in the [ ].

Search limits

Sample of a citation whose article is written in another language:Facing, accepting, growing and expecting: the practical experience of nursing students during their first clinical practice [Chinese]. (includes abstract); Sun, Jia-Jing; Sun, Hui-Lin; Journal of Nursing, 2011 Apr; 58 (2): 49-56 (journal article) ISSN: 0047-262X PMID: 21455892 CINAHL AN: 2011035176 Search Limits

ARTICLE TITLE AUTHOR(S) JOURNAL TITLE

Nursing children and adolescents with bipolar disorder: assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management. Preview (includes abstract); McDougall T; Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 2009 Feb; 22 (1): 33-9 (journal article) ISSN: 1073-6077 PMID: 19200290 CINAHL AN: 2010188996

YEAR MONTH VOLUME ISSUE PAGE NUMBERS Citation

Does the article answer your search question?If you answered no to this question, then you need to:Check your search termsCheck your spellingCheck the scope of searchToo specific?Too broad?

Evaluate Articles

to the questions on the previous slide,Congrats! Youre done with the searching portion of your paper.If you answered yes

No problem!

Come seeKaren Hutchens LibraryORDebbie OReillyComputer LabNeed Extra Help?