Nursing 503: Applied Research for Clinical Leadership

PubMed Resources

A. C. Buehler Library, Elmhurst College

1. It is freely available wherever you have Internet access, so you perform empirical and evidence-based research even when you don't have access to library databases.
2. PubMed has some full-text articles available, and it also has a "Linkout" feature that allows you to get free full-text articles from search results if they are available online from publishers.
3. PubMed is a much more focused and precised search tool compared to commercial search engines such as Google Scholar.

 

Searching Pubmed

Once you have identified a topic and chosen some possible search terms, the first step in your search is to turn your keywords into compatible MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms. NOTE~ you can use basic keywords in place of MESH terms, but you will get poorer search results.

Finding MeSH terms:

1. Chose MeSH from the pull-down menu next to the Search box and enter in ONE of your search terms, such as contact dermatitis.
2. If you see a MeSH term that's comparable to your search term, click on the checkbox and choose "Search box with AND" from the "Send to" list. This will enter it as one of your search terms.
3. Clear the search box and enter another term, if applicable. Repeat the process until all your terms are entered.

Searching PubMed with your search terms:

1. Once you have chosen and entered your search terms, you can add extra "limits" to your PubMed search.
2. Choose "PubMed" from the search box pull-down menu, and then click on the "Limits" tab.
3. Under the "Publication Types" menu, you can chose selections such as Clinical Trial, Meta-Analysis, or Randomly Controlled Trial. You also have options for "Publication date" and "Ages."
4. When all terms are entered and all limits are set, click "Go" next to the search box.

Interpreting results:

1. PubMed will give you a list of articles relevant to your search terms and limits.
2. Click on "Links" to the right of the article title and select "Linkout" from the pop-up menu to see available full-text options. If you see a full-text icon, click on it to be taken to the article.
3. PubMed provides links to other websites that offer content. Content is offered in one of 3 ways:
• either as free full-text linked directly via PubMed
• as free full-text from an external web resource (such as our library), or...
• directly from the publisher (however, don't buy an article from a publisher- just order it through us using the library's Article Request Form). See below for details.
4. If you find an article citation but can't find the full-text article through PubMed, first search the Elmhurst College Library website to see if we carry the journal and article:

• Copy, write down or print the citation. Go the the library home page and click on the link Got a citation? Find the article!.
• Fill out the form with the article and journal title in the marked fields.
• Click GO- if we have the full-text available, a link will appear. If no full-text is avaialble, you can click on our link to the library catalog to see if we carry the journal in print or on microfilm.

Ordering an article that's not available full-text through PubMed

1. Copy, write down or print the citation. Go the the library home page and click on the Request an Article link.
2. Fill out the article request form with as much information as you can from the citation.
3. We will locate the the item, have it photocopied and sent to the library. The service is free.
4. Delivery can take a maximun of 7-10 days. We will notify you when the article comes in.
5. NOTE ~we are not a memeber of the "Lonesome Doc" document delivery service on PubMed

Other databases (mostly citations, some full text)

• CINAHL Plus w/Full Text~ The Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health database provides coverage of the literature related to nursing and allied health. Includes consumer and professional-level information..Some full text (although there is no way to limit your search to full text only in this database).
  

To find Evidence-Based articles in CINAHL, limit to subset "peer-reviewed" & document type "research"

• Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) for the APA style
• APA Style Documentation~ from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.
• Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, call number R808.06615 P976 2001
  • The official manual on the APA format. Ask for this item at the reference desk. We also have a limited number of copies for checkout.