Evidence Based Nursing

Intro to EBN

EBN TOOLS

EBN in Practice

EBN Resources
*Books
*Websites
*Articles

Front Page

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EBN Tools & Finding Information

Why do I need journals and databases? Can't I just search the web?

Many people believe that everything is now available on the Web, for free to everyone. This just isn't so. In addition to the uncertainty of credible health information on the web, the Web is not indexed and searching it can be overwhelming.

As professionals you will want to use bibliographic databases such as CINAHL and MEDLINE to keep current with the research literature. In addition, full text databases such as the Cochrane Library - a database of systematic reviews, textbook resources such as STAT!Ref, and electronic journals such as Evidence Based Nursing can provide needed information, quickly and easily.

While some web-based resources may be free, many of the quality resources, such as the indexes, databases, journals, and textbooks, you need to do your job have a cost associated with them. Libraries provide access to many online resources, by paying subscription fees to publishers and vendors with the understanding that their library users can access this information from within the library, on campus, and sometimes from off-campus computers as well through proxy access.

The library has access to several resources which can be accessed off campus by UNC or AHEC affiliated staff, faculty, and students. In order to secure off-campus access, your computer needs to be configured to the proxy server. For more information, visit the HSL's "Access Electronic Resources From Off-Campus" page, http://www.hsl.unc.edu/accessoffcampus.cfm.

Journals

UNC-CH Libraries Catalog
Not all journals that you will want to read will have online access.  Fortunately, UNC has access to many of both online and print journals related to nursing. To find out whether UNC-CH carries a particular journal, visit the UNC-CH Libraries Catalog. Type the title of the journal in the box. Select "Title" (instead of "Keyword") and "Journal/Magazine" (instead of "All Materials").

Electronic Journals Finder
In addition to checking the Catalog, you may also want to check the Electronic Journals Finder, which includes all of the journals to which UNC-CH has online access.

The following journals use predefined criteria to publish evaluated abstracts of the literature and comment on the methodology of each published study. In other words, these journals perform systematic reviews of the literature, performing the critical appraisal and assessment of the literature mentioned in the "steps" of evidence based practice.

Evidence-Based Nursing Journal - http://www.evidencebasednursing.com
Evidence-Based Nursing focuses on the utilization of evidence based practice in the nursing setting. The "Purpose and Procedure" and "EBN Notebook" columns in each issue provide information about the practice of evidence based nursing. Also, the inside back cover of each issue includes a glossary of terms used in evidence-based health care.

There are several other "evidence-based" journals, including:
Evidence-Based Mental Health
Evidence-Based Medicine
Evidence-Based Health Care

ACP Journal Club - http://www.acpjc.org/
"ACP Journal Club's general purpose is to select from the biomedical literature those articles reporting original studies and systematic reviews that warrant immediate attention by physicians attempting to keep pace with important advances in internal medicine. These articles are summarized in "value added" abstracts and commented on by clinical experts." (From ACP Journal Club's website)

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Databases

UNC-CH E-Indexes and Databases

What is a Database?

A bibliographic database leads the user to sources of information, usually in journals, providing a citation that includes the article's author, title and source information; journal name, volume, issue and page numbers, and often an abstract of the article. As opposed to the Cochrane systematic review databases, when searching MEDLINE and CINAHL, analyzing the quality and relevance of studies is up to the searcher.

Online full text of articles may be available from databases if the library subscribes to the journal and the database is accessed on-campus or through the proxy server off-campus. Just because the library does not have electronic access does not mean we do not have access to the print journal!

CINAHL (via EBSCOHost)
The CINAHL database (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health) covers nursing, allied health, biomedical and consumer health journals, publications of the American Nursing Association, and the National League for Nursing. Over 350,000 records and 900 journals are included. It also includes healthcare books, nursing dissertations, standards of professional practice, nurse practice acts, and educational software.

The Health Sciences Library will discontinue offering CINAHL via OVID. (EBSCOHost, PubMed, and OVID are all types of platforms and vendors from which these databases are offered. The databases may contain the same information but the search interface may look different depending on the platform and vendor.) Information and help on EBSCOHost is available from within the database. Tutorials and filters for CINAHL via OVID are available in the EBN RESOURCES > WEB section of this website.

MEDLINE (via PubMed)
MEDLINE via PubMed is a free resource provided by the National Library of Medicine. Anyone can access this database, which is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic and abstract coverage of biomedical literature. However, UNC affiliated users may be able to directly access article from PubMed to journals that the UNC libraries hold access. Be sure to access MEDLINE from the Health Sciences Library link (which is the link included in this resource page) to ensure that your pages are linked to UNC's collection. If off campus, make sure that you are connected via the proxy server (see above).

MEDLINE includes citation and abstract information from Index Medicus, Index to Dental Literature, and International Nursing Index, as well as other sources in the areas of allied health, physical therapy, health education, biological and physical sciences, humanities and information science as they relate to medicine and health care, communication disorders, population biology, and reproductive biology.

PubMed Tutorial (NLM) This is an in-depth tutorial from the National Library of Medicine on how to use Medline (via PubMed). The learner explores modules which use the Macromedia Flash player.

PubMed Tutorial (UF) This is a tutorial of Medline (via PubMed) from the University of Florida's Health Sciences Library which allows the user to learn to use and understand the navigation system of PubMed.

Evidence Based Medicine databases

Cochrane Library
The aim of the Cochrane Library is to prepare, maintain, and promote the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of health care interventions. It contains 4 databases: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR), and the Cochrane Review Methodology Database (CRMD). They all use the same search engine. As a practitioner, you are mainly concerned with finding systematic reviews, which are available from the CDSR and the DARE. The CCTR and the CRMD are useful for those actually performing the systematic reviews.

Read more about the Cochrane Library: ACP Journal Club 2000;132(3): A-15

EBM Reviews - ACP Journal Club
Accessed through Ovid, this EBM databases allows the user to search ACP Journal Club and Evidence-Based Medicine journal. Editors regularly screen the top 170 clinical journals and identify studies that are methodologically sound and clinically relevant.

Read more about EBM Reviews: ACP Journal Club 2000;132(3): A-15