Nursing LINK: Using Library Resources
Sherry Durren (http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~sdurren)
GPC Libraries (http://www.gpc.edu/library)
Online Magazine and Journal Articles
If you're working off campus, you'll need the GALILEO password to access databases. Go to GIL to request the password. It changes every semester.
To search for articles in GALILEO databases, we recommend that you search in one of the following databases: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health, or Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. To access these, go to GALILEO from the library home page and use the Databases A-Z tab.
As an alternative, go to GALILEO, click on the Browse by Subject tab, click the Medicine and Health link, and select the Nursing and Allied Health link. This gives you a list of databases in this category and you can search several at the same time.
Recommended databases for nurses and nursing students:
- CINAHL Plus with Full Text
The CINAHL database has two good features located under separate tabs. A Quick Lesson is a pamphlet (1-2 pages long) prepared by CINAHL's own staff. The Quick Lesson gives an overview of a condition. It does not go into great detail and while it has references at the end, it seldom includes either theory or illustrations.
An Evidence-based Care Plan is usually part of an article in a journal, often a refereed journal. Evidence-based medicine practices result from studying the outcomes of many individual studies. An Evidence-based Care Plan is longer than a Quick Lesson, often includes some mention of theory, and may make use of diagrams or other illustrations. Most importantly, it goes into great detail on a fairly narrow topic.
- ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health
The ProQuest database has added a feature called Study Paths. There are two tracks, one for LPN and one for RN. There is a list of topics to choose from. Under each topic you'll find a few succinct articles. These make a good starting place for beginning your research.
Recommended databases for consumer health:
- Alt Health Watch
- Consumer Health Complete
Print Magazine and Journal Articles
The library owns some nursing journals in print and microfilm. These are on the 3rd floor. You can also do a Journal Title search in the GIL catalog to find out what journals we subscribe to.
Websites
WebMD is a popular site for consumer health information. This commercial site has lots of ads.
MedlinePlus
is my favorite online source for health information
CDC (Centers for Disease Control), based here in Atlanta,
is a good source for public health information
RN Web
is a site
brought to you by the publishers of RN magazine. It has some free information.
Anatomy and Physiology, use the IPL (Internet Public Library) to find a
listing of sites on Anatomy and Physiology
Cochrane Library is a good source for reviews of evidence-based medicine. Some information is free and some is by subscription.
http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/clibintro.htm
Questions? Contact Sherry Durren, 678.891.3636
Visit the Nursing Department Website
