NR 532: Introduction to Evidence Based Practice

Turn in two files that provide an example of a systematic literature search for your topic:

1. Search history

• select one search history from one productive database search (CINAHL, Medline, or PubMed)
• print the search history either in hard copy or print-to-PDF
  • if you print the search history on paper, scan it into a PDF
• TIP: The easiest way to show MeSH term searches is to use Medline when you're ready to capture the search history you are going to turn in.

2. Search figure & References

• follow your assignment instructions to fill in the sample search figure with your own topic and search process information
• list at least 5 articles
• at least 2 articles must answer the same PICO(T) question (this will probably not be the question you started with - you will have to formulate a new one around the evidence you find)
• it is UNUSUAL to find more than two primary research articles that answer the same exact PICO(T) question!
• other articles in your reference list will be closely related and/or offer significant support for an examination and discussion of the problem/PICO(T) question

How to conduct a systematic search of the literature

1. Search concepts separately
2. Combine searches
3. Apply limiters (dates, language, research (CINAHL only))
4. Analyze results
   1. At least 2 primary research articles addressing the same PICO(T)
   2. At least 3 additional highly relevant articles
5. Document your process using the "sample search figure" Word document as a template

Research is a process! Steps 1-4 are numbered here, but you will visit and revisit each step many times in or out of sequence. When you have identified productive search terms and found at least two articles that you can use to form an answerable PICO(T) question, follow the steps above to complete your search assignment (A2):

1. generate three search result lists (one each from CINAHL, Medline, and PubMed)
2. look at the best result list from each database and add those three totals together (potential articles identified)
3. choose one search history to capture in a PDF