Searching the Evidence Base Tom Osborne, Librarian Literature
Searching
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Plan of Session Introduction to the Library OpenAthens
registration Formulating a search Developing a search strategy
Searching the databases 2
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Evidence Based Medicine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2a3o1-FuvY True or False? -
Attaching a toad to your throat was a treatment for internal
bleeding? - For baldness smear the head with juice of a beetle? -
Statins help prevent heart disease? 3
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Introduction to the Library 4 Where we are?...What we offer
Access via the library pages on CONNECT
http://connect/Pages/default.aspx OR via our website:
http://www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/for-
clinicians/library-and-information-serviceCONNECT
http://connect/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/for-
clinicians/library-and-information-service
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OpenAthens Registration For access to all online resources you
will need to register for an NHS OpenAthens username/password
https://openathens.nice.org.uk/ You must register using a Trust PC
and your Trust email address 5
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Formulating a Search 6 Take a look at the abstracts provided
and highlight key terms you might use for searching.
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Search Strategy Is CPAP the best way to manage paediatric
patients with bronchiolitis? Are there any randomised controlled
trials to support this? 7
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The PICO Approach How can we transfer the results into a
searchable structure? Patient or Population Intervention or
Exposure OutcomesComparisons (if required) WHO? is the treatment or
procedure being delivered to? WHAT? is the condition or problem?
WHAT? is the treatment or procedure being delivered? or WHAT? is
happening to the patient or population? HOW? is the effect of the
intervention or exposure measured? WHAT? can be achieved? HOW MUCH
BETTER? is this procedure than another? or BETTER THAN WHAT? what
alternatives are there? 8
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Is CPAP the best way to manage paediatric patients with
bronchiolitis? Are there any randomised controlled trials to
support this? Patient or Population Intervention or Exposure
OutcomesComparisons (if required) WHO? WHAT? 9
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Searching the evidence Where do you currently find your
evidence? The NHS subscribes to eight healthcare databases Access
via NHS EvidenceNHS Evidence https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/
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Database Tips 11 AND OR Use AND in a search to: narrow your
results tell the database that ALL search terms must be present in
the resulting records example: cloning AND humans AND ethics The
purple triangle in the middle of the Venn diagram below represents
the result set for this search. It is a small set using AND, the
combination of all three search words. Use OR in a search to:
connect two or more similar concepts (synonyms) broaden your
results, telling the database that ANY of your search terms can be
present in the resulting records example: cloning OR genetics OR
reproduction All three circles represent the result set for this
search. It is a big set because any of those words are valid using
the OR operator
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More Database Tips Truncat* & Bool* Operat* - *, ADJ2, ?, ,
Search ALL options but BE SPECIFIC Limit by Date Remove Duplicates
Sort Results View Abstracts - Appraise 12
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Find the Article! 14 What year was it published? How can you
tell if its any good?
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Library outreach service The library Level 5, Education Centre
Upper Maudlin St Tel. ext. 20105 Email. [email protected]
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