Searching CINAHL Complete by Level of Evidence

Victoria K. Swinney, PhD [email protected]

Levels of Evidence

1) Systematic review & meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials; clinical guidelines based on systematic reviews or meta-analyses 2) One or more randomized controlled trials 3) Controlled trial (no randomization) 4) Case-control or cohort study 5) Systematic review of descriptive & qualitative studies 6) Single descriptive or qualitative study 7) Expert opinion Source: Melnyk, B.M. & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-

based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best

practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Keys to Successful Searching

Be Specific

• • • Describe your topic specifically – Consider handwashing rather than hygiene – Consider cesarean complications rather than cesarean Use quotation marks to search for phrases – For example: “nursing home patients” Describe your topic using subject headings – Restraint is better than Restraints – “Cultural Sensitivity” or “cultural competence” is better than “culturally sensitive”

Keys to Successful Searching

Be Inclusive

• • • Use only as many words as necessary – Falls is better than accidental falls – Diabetes is often better than diabetes milletus or type 2 diabetes Use OR to connect multiple words or phrases that describe the same concept – For example: bullies or bullying Be as general as necessary – Consider wound care rather than surgical wound care

Keys to Successful Searching

Be Brief

• • Use major words only – Prevent falls nursing homes is better than methods to prevent accidental falls in nursing homes Be as general as necessary – Consider catheters rather than peripherally inserted catheters – Consider “computerized patient record” rather than “computerized patient record utilization” or “computerized patient record administration”

Use Advanced Search

1: Systematic Reviews

“Systematic review” is used article descriptions. “Meta-Analysis” is a Publication Type • • Add “systematic review” as a key word OR Choose “Meta-Analysis” from the menu

2: Randomized Controlled Trials

• • “Randomized Controlled Trial” is a Publication Type.

Choose it from the menu, or Add the phrase as a key word

Controlled Trial (no randomization)

• • • • CINAHL: no specific limit, use “Controlled Trial” NOT “Randomized Controlled Trial” MEDLINE: no specific limit, use “Controlled Trial” NOT “Randomized Controlled Trial” in Publication Type Cochrane Central Index of Controlled Trials: Controlled Clinical Trials checkbox PSYCinfo: Methodology = Treatment Outcome/Clinical Trial

3: Controlled Trial, No Randomization Search for subject AND controlled trial NOT randomized controlled trial in PT Publication Type NOTE: limiting to NOT randomized controlled trial helps, but many of the results will still be randomized.

4: Case-Control Studies

• “Case-Control Studies” is a MeSH subject • heading.

Add “case-control studies” as a key word or an exact subject heading.

Be sure to include the hyphen!

4: Cohort Studies

• • “Cohort Studies” is a MeSH subject heading.

Add the phrase as a key word, or Add the phrase as an exact subject heading.

5: Systematic Review of Descriptive & Qualitative Studies Systematic Review occurs in article descriptions Qualitative or Descriptive may occur in article • • • descriptions Search for subject AND “systematic review” AND qualitative or descriptive NOTE: limiting to qualitative or descriptive will help, but many will still be quantitative and some qualitative reviews may be excluded

Qualitative & Descriptive Studies

• • • CINAHL: It is hard to limit to qualitative or descriptive studies. The key words qualitative or interviews or perceptions or experiences or descriptive can help MEDLINE: It is hard to limit to qualitative or descriptive studies. The key words qualitative or interviews or perceptions or experiences or descriptive can help PSYCinfo: Methodology = “Interview” or “Focus Group” and “Qualitative Study”

6: Descriptive or Qualitative Studies There is no great way to limit to descriptive or qualitative studies. A few key words that • can help: qualitative or interviews or perceptions or experiences or descriptive

7: Expert Opinion

• • “Editorial” and “Comment” are Publication Types.

Choose them from the menu, or Add them as key words click for multiple options

Questions?

• • • • • Chat from on the Nursing Research Guide Make an appointment (link on the Nursing Research Guide Email [email protected]

Phone 405-208-5072 Office Dulaney-Browne Library 108