Health sciences: Evidence Based Practice

Introduction

 

This guide provides access to 'Evidence Based' resources which have been designed for health professionals to provide quick access to the latest evidence to inform their decision making.

'Evidence' includes:

  • Primary research such as academic studies and clinical trials
  • Secondary research such as systematic reviews
  • Summaries of research on specific topics
  • Guidelines including how best to diagnose and treat health conditions

These resources can be used to find information for your assignments. If you need to produce a 'literature review' for your assignment you should also use specialist databases such as CINAHL and Medline. Use the Literature Searching guides to discover how to perform an effective search and access these databases.

Summaries of evidence

 

These are resources which summarise available research and evidence in health care.

They can be used:

  • for quick access to information as whole studies don't need to be read.
  • to improve your understanding of a specific study or research on a topic as conclusions from authors and experts are sometimes available.
  • to discover where there are gaps in research and more research is needed.

 

Cochrane Evidence Summaries

This resource differs from the Cochrane Library as it's sole function is to summarise the key findings of Cochrane Systematic Reviews.

 

How to search...

Enter your own search terms to perform a search.

Keep your search simple using only two or three search terms.

Phrases should be surrounded with speech marks e.g. "mind body therapy"

Truncation * is not necessary as different word endings are automatically recognised.

The Cochrane search box. Search our Plain Language Summaries of health evidence. The keywords "mind body therapy" and headaches is typed into the box.

You can filter your results according to topic.

 

National Elf Service

The National ElF Service provides access to blogs written by 'experts' in the field of health, analysing and evaluating current research papers. These blogs are available under the following categories:

 

How to search...

Within each Elf you can select a category to refine your search or enter your own search terms. If you choose the latter option, keep your search simple using only one or two search terms.
The Child Elf webpage with the categories link highlighted.
 

Optimal Aging

American resource providing summaries of evidence on ageing related topics.

As well as evidence summaries information is also provided through:

  • Blog posts
  • Web Resource ratings (inform you if advise on the Internet is supported by scientific research)
  • Patient Decision Aids (aimed at patients and carers rather than health professionals)

 

How to search...

You can search by entering your own search terms or browsing by topic.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal with the 'browse topics' link, the search box, and the categories highlighted.

The Browse Topics button provides topics under the categories of:

  • Health and social conditions
  • Programs, services and products
  • Optimal aging practices

 

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR): Dissemination Centre

Provides access to critically appraised health research from both within the NIHR and other research organisations. Information is available in 3 formats:

NIHR Signals. The latest important research summarised.

 

NIHR Signals: Accessible, timely summaries of the most recent, relevant and important research published every week. You can search by selecting the professional area you are interested in e.g. nursing or by selecting a topic category.

NIHR Signals. Conditions, treatments and issues explored using NIHR evidence.

 

NIHR Highlights: Reviews of research in key areas, targeted at practitioners, decision-makers and patients.

NIHR Themed Reviews. Bringing together NIHR research on a particular theme.

 

Themed Reviews: In-depth reviews across topic areas, looking at current evidence, research in progress and the implications for practice. You can filter the results by the category of care you are interested in.

 

Alternatively, you can search across the whole portal by adding your own search terms. Keep your search simple.

 

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction: Evidence Database

Provides summaries of the latest evidence on drug related interventions. Each intervention is rated on a scale from beneficial to unknown effectiveness.

 

How to search...

You can search by entering your own search terms and/or filtering your search under the following categories:

  • Evidence rating e.g. beneficial, likely to be beneficial etc.
  • Desired outcome e.g. to improve mental health, to improve treatment outcomes, prevent infectious diseases etc.
  • Area e.g. harm reduction, prevention etc.
  • Substance e.g. the type of substance you are interested in
  • Target group or settings e.g. women, young people, emergency departments

A section of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction: Evidence Database screen showing all the dropdown categories.

 

Evidently Cochrane

A blog aiming to make evidence from the Cochrane Library more accessible.

 

How to search...

You can search using your own search terms by using the green search button or by selecting a category.

Part of the Evidently Cochrane website with the 'categories A-L' and 'categories M-Z' dropdown highlighted.

Clinical conditons (Best Practice)

Clinical conditions (Best Practice)

The following resources can be used to discover guidance relating to 'Best Practice' when diagnosing and treating health conditions.

They can also be used to find out background information on conditions such as their causes, likely complications and prevalence.

 

BestBETs

Provides evidence-based answers to real-life clinical questions.

 

How to search...

You can search by entering your own search terms or searching by topic, speciality or area of the anatomy

 

Using your own search terms

Enter your search term on the Keyword line in the Search Bets section.

Only one search term can be entered. Using truncation * (if relevant) finds more results.

The BestBETs search interface.

 

Searching by topic, speciality or area of the anatomy

Under the 'Databases' section select Browse all by topic.

Selecting the + sign next to Topic, Speciality or Anatomy will list more categories to choose from.

The BestBETs Browse BET categories page.

 

 

 

MSD Manual

The MSD Manual provides information and guidance on specific health conditions including information about signs and symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis and prevention.

The manual also includes resources such as case studies, images, quizzes and videos.

 

How to search...

There are 3 search options::

  • Typing the name of the condition you are interested in, in the search box
  • Selecting the Medical Topics section
  • Selecting the first letter of the condition you are interested in under Medical Topics and Chapters.

The MSD Manual homepage with the medical topics link, the search box and the alphabetical medical topics and chapters highlighted.

 

 

 

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries

Clinical Knowledge Summaries provides concise, accessible summaries of current evidence covering over 350 clinical conditions. 

For each topic you select, information is available under the following sections:

  • Summary- a brief overview providing a definition of the condition and some of the signs and symptoms.
  • Have I got the right topic?- an overview of what is covered
  • How up to date is this topic?- informs you when research was last performed.
  • Goals and outcome measures- provides details of the purpose of the research on the condition.
  • Background information- can cover details on causes, risk factors, prevalence, complications, prognosis and prevention.
  • Diagnosis- details on how to diagnose the condition.
  • Management- provides scenarios on how to manage the condition.
  • Supporting evidence- provides details of the key sources where evidence was found.
  • How this topic was developed- an outline of how evidence was gathered.
  • References- a reference list from where evidence was found.

 

How to search...

Search by entering details of the condition or speciality you are interested in, in the search bar

The NICE search box. The keywords headaches and children is typed in.

OR...

Search by selecting a Topic or Speciality:

The Clinical Knowledge Summaries page with alphabetical topics.

Guidelines, Standards & Recommendations

NICE Guidance

Provides access to guidance and recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Information available includes:

  • Official guidelines (including clinical guidelines)
  • Advice (assessments and summaries of evidence to help health professionals make decisions)
  • Quality Standards

 

How to search...

  • Browse by topic- allows you to search under the area of health care you are interested in
  • Guidance by programme- allows you to search for a specific type of guidance e.g. clinical guidelines
  • NICE Pathways- allows you to view all NICE guidance through interactive flow charts.

A section of the NICE homepage with links to find resources.

 

 

 

 

Nursing & Midwifery Council Standards

Here you can find the NMC Code and the standards and guidance which underpin it.

 

How to search...

Select the standards you are interested in from the list:

Links on the Nursing & Midwifery Council Standards homepage to The Code, Revalidation, Standards for nurses, Standards for midwives, Standards for nursing associates, and Standards for post-registration.

 

 

 

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction: Standards & Guidance

Provides access to the EMCDDA inventory of European and International standards and guidelines.

 

How to search...

For both Standards and Guidelines you can filter your search by selecting one or a combination of:

  • Categories of intervention e.g. harm reduction, prevention, treatment
  • Keywords e.g. selecting a glossary term from the drop down menu
  • Countries e.g. selecting a country from the drop down menu
  • Enter your own free text search

Section of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction: Standards & Guidance website's browse and search fields.

Databases

Databases

The following databases are different to 'traditional' databases such as Medline as they allow you to search for all types of evidence including summaries of evidence and guidelines, as well as journal articles.

They cover all areas of health.

 

The following databases are different to 'traditional' databases such as Medline as they allow you to search for all types of evidence including summaries of evidence and guidelines, as well as journal articles.

They cover all areas of health.

The Cochrane Library

The Cochrane Library allows you to search for:

  • Controlled Trials- randomised and quasi-randomised
  • Systematic Reviews- peer-reviewed systematic reviews that have been prepared and supervised by a Cochrane Review Group
  • Protocols- protocols of systematic reviews
  • Cochrane Clinical Answers- these contain short answers to clinical questions

 

How to search...

  • Use a separate line for each part of your topic
  • Connect each line using the AND operator from the drop down box
  • Combine your related search terms by placing the OR operator between them
  • Truncation * can be used for search terms with variant endings e.g. therap*= therapy, therapies, therapist
  • Phrases should be surrounded with speech marks e.g. "mind body therapy"

Cochrane Library Search fields. Searching for "mind body therap*" or mindfulness in the Title Abstract Keyword fields.

 

Viewing your results

Results will be displayed under the different categories of evidence:

The results are divided into category tabs such as Cochrane Review, Trials and Editorials with the number of results displayed for each category.

 

NICE

Evidence Search : NICE

Types of evidence available from Evidence Search includes:

  • Primary research
  • Ongoing trials
  • Systematic Reviews
  • Summaries of evidence
  • Economic evaluations
  • Health technology assessments
  • Guidance
  • Policies and strategies

 

How to search...

  • Separate each part of your topic by using brackets (           )
  • Connect each set of brackets using the AND operator
  • Connect your related search terms, within the brackets, using the OR operator
  • Truncation * can be used for search terms with variant endings e.g. therap*= therapy, therapies, therapist
  • Phrases should be surrounded by speech marks e.g. "mind body therapy"

The NICE Evidence search box, the keywords typed in are ("mind body therap*" or mindfulness" and (headaches or migraine).

 

Viewing your results

You can filter your results by ticking the box next to the category of evidence you are interested in:

The filter results by, evidence type category checkboxes. The Primary Research box is ticked.

 

TRIP

Turning Research Into Practice (TRIP)

Types of evidence available from TRIP includes:

  • Primary research
  • Systematic Reviews
  • Synopses (summaries) of evidence
  • Guidelines
  • Patient information leaflets

 

How to search...

  • Separate each part of your topic by using brackets (           )
  • Connect each set of brackets using the AND operator
  • Connect your related search terms, within the brackets, using the OR operator
  • Truncation * can be used for search terms with variant endings e.g. therap*= therapy, therapies, therapist
  • Phrases should be surrounded by speech marks e.g. "mind body therapy"

           # Truncation and speech marks cant be used together for the same search term

The Turning Research into Practice search box, the keywords typed in are ("mind body therap*" or mindfulness" and (headaches or migraine).

 

Viewing your results

You can filter your results by selecting the category of evidence you are interested in:

The results categories in the Evidence type tab. such as Systematic Review, guidelines and key primary research.