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Nursing: Search Actively

Nursing

"What do you mean by searching actively"?

Research Databases

Best Bets
Related Subjects
Broader Multi-Subject

Evidence-Based Databases

Point-of-Care Databases

Best Bets
Background Information

Guidelines & Organizations

Guidelines
Organizations

Search Tips

Keywords

Keywords are words or phrases that you use to describe your research topic - both the content (e.g. diabetes) and the research methodology (e.g. quantitative). You can use as many or as few keywords as you like, and you don't have to include a method, although it may help narrow down your search results.

image of search example with keywords


Combine Meaningful Keywords

Think about the main ideas that are related to your topic. Try using the PICO format (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). Use synonyms of your keywords to help find even more information. AND combines words. OR includes more words to look for.

image of search example using the and search operator and or search operator


Find Specific Article Types

Search systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, meta-Analyses, etc. using a text-box

image of search example using systematic review as search term


Search in Particular Ways

The quotation marks search for phrases. The asterisk find word variations (e.g. nurs* for nurse, nurses, nursing)

image of search example using systematic review as search term


Work With Search Results

You can select results to find full-text, a set date range, of only academic journals and more.

image of search example using systematic review as search term


Subject Terms

While keywords are search terms that you develop, subject terms are search terms that have already been developed - each article is already tagged with subjects terms that describe it. You can copy these terms into your search to use them as keywords, or you can go to CINAHL Headings and do a structured subject term search. While searching by subject is awesome, most of the time keywords will get you what you need.

image of search example looking up subject headings


Citation Searching + Simmons Full-Text

When you find a relevant article, you can use resources like Google Scholar and Scopus to see other articles that have cited the original one. Check out the Searching Citation Indices guide for more information about citation searching.

Add Simmons University in the Google Scholar settings to check for full-text - go to Library Links and search for Simmons University, and check the selection box the says, Simmons University - Check Simmons Full Text.

image of google scholar used for citation searching, full-text access, and date range

Search Syntax

diabetes mellitusUse quotations to keep words together in a search. ...clinical characteristics of diabetes mellitus in......for patients with diabetes mellitus......of diabetes mellitus on coagulation function...

*nurs*Use truncation for finding similar words. nursenursesnursing...

#p#ediatricUse the Hash Wild Card for alternate spellings.pediatricpaediatric

?aprot?ninUse the Question-Mark Wildcard for finding an unknown character.aprotinin

LGBTQ n5 caren[Number]...care policies: LGBTQ......care': recognition of older LGBTQ......LGBTQ young people in foster care... n5 finds up to 5 words apart.

electronic w3 recordsw[Number]electronic health recordelectronic citizen recordelectronic medication administration recordw3 finds up to 3 words apart from left-right.

Nursing Journals & Authors

Find Nurses as Authors

On CINAHL's advanced search page, scroll down for more search options. You can select Peer-Reviewed Nursing journals and find Nurses as authors

image of CINAHL database advanced search options selecting nursing journals as a subset, 'peer reviewed' articles,  'any author is nurse

Interactive CINAHL Tutorial

This tutorial will walk you through using CINAHL