A Guide for Nurses and Nursing Students: Welcome

This guide provides links to useful resources and databases, and offers tips on effective searching.  If you have trouble finding for what you need, or haven't found what you're looking for in 30 minutes, it's time to Chat with a Librarian!

Find It @ LHL

Finding Full Text

Finding Test Instruments

Health Statistics

Medical Images

From Systematic to Narrative

The Scientific Paper

Grey Literature in the Health Sciences

1. Identify key concepts and brainstorm search terms for each

• Break down your topic, PICOT question, or clinical scenario into searchable keywords
• Using the "preferred terminology" in the database increases the success of your work.
  • In PubMed, this is called MeSH (for Medical Subject Headings)
  • In CINAHL, this is called CINAHL Headings
  • In EMBASE, this is called Emtree
  • Scopus uses keyword searching only, not "preferred terminology"

2. Build search strings using "AND", "OR" and sometimes, "NOT"

• Learn more about Boolean operators
• "AND" narrows your topic - Use in between separate concepts
  • childhood diabetes AND nutrition plan
  • nurses AND simulation
• "OR" broadens your topic - Use in between synonyms
  • drug addiction OR drug dependence
  • tumor OR neoplasm OR cancer
• "NOT" eliminates elements from your topic.  Use "NOT" sparingly and with caution; it is easy to cancel out important articles.
  • sleep disorders NOT narcolepsy
  • palliative care NOT hospice

3. Choose the right resources or databases to search

• Consider books and e-books for background information
• Articles can provide current evidence to answer specific patient or clinical information
• Use articles to find evidence for evidence-based health care
• PubMed (bio-medical literature) and CINAHL (nursing and allied health) are good starting points for finding peer-reviewed biomedical articles

4. Use search tips or Help files in your chosen database to focus your searches

• Each database searches differently.  Some use subject terms that include popular synonyms.  Others search by keyword only.
• Look for additional subject terms and keywords on article abstract pages to help you expand or focus your search.
• PubMed and CINAHL have "limits" for language, patient ages, publication types, date, and more.

You can access online resources off-campus.  Just start with the library's homepage:  https://library.uab.edu/locations/lister-hill

When prompted, you will be asked to enter your Blazer ID and password to log in when off-campus and when using  to find full text.

If the article is not available at LHL, use our Interlibrary loan services to get the article in 1-2 business days.  This service is free for all UAB affiliates.