Need help with your literature search?

Do you need to answer a question?

When you need an answer to a healthcare question you need to find out what information already exists about it; so that you have the background information and latest research. Whether it is for an assignment, dissertation, research, audit or other work you need to complete a literature search to get the latest information and best evidence to answer your question.

Complete a literature search plan

How do you start your literature search? Start with a plan. Make a literature search plan to help you to focus your search, be systematic and keep a record in case you want to repeat it.

How can the Health Library help you?

Information Skills etutorials

Develop your information searching skills by completing our short, engaging etutorials. Read presentations, complete quizzes and watch videos to learn the essential skills to finding information efficiently and effectively.

Start off with our Introduction to Literature Searching etutorial. You’ll learn about the key steps to follow and get your own plan at the end.

Here’s a quick overview of the skills you’ll develop:

Training courses

If you need more help, then book on a training course with one of our librarians. You can attend in person or online and join a group session or arrange a personalised, 1-to-1 session. Our experienced librarians will help you to create your plan and show you our popular databases.

Literature Search Service

NHS staff who struggle to find the time to complete their own literature searching can ask the library to do it for them! Our knowledgable literature searching team can complete a search on your behalf. You’ll get a report of articles matching your search criteria.

Access Resources

Are you ready to run your search? We list all the major resources that we subscribe to on our website. You’ll find links to the essential, specialist databases that you need.

More help

If you need any help finding or accessing information, please contact the Health Library for more support.

Comments

BMJ Case Reports - the journal for unusual clinical cases

You can browse or search the journal BMJ Case Reports for unusual clinical cases. This journal includes rare conditions and unexpected complications. Cases are peer-reviewed and offer excellent case-based learning to support your professional development. You can also submit your own case reports for free! This gives you an opportunity to share your knowledge and become a published author. Access to this journal is available to UHNM staff, via their NHS OpenAthens username. You'll find a link to this journal, as well as other resources on our NHS Resources page . There is more help, including links to instructions for authors, on our BMJ Case Reports help page . If you need more help or information just ask at the Health Library .

Royal Marsden Manual - key resource for nursing guidelines and procedures

Make sure you are delivering best practice to your patients by checking the Royal Marsden Manual online. Nursing staff and healthcare and nursing assistants working in the NHS can access the Royal Marsden Manual for key guidelines and procedures. This resource has a user-friendly design where you can search for topics or browse through the chapters. Content includes evidence-based procedures, as well as illustrations and references to offer you the best practical advice to support your patients. It is regularly updated, so always worth checking in to get the most recent evidence. Royal Marsden Manual online is available to all NHS staff, via NHS OpenAthens login. You'll find a link to this resource, along with many others, on our NHS Resources page . Check our Royal Marsden Manual help page for instructions on how to log in. Wiley, the publishers, offer regular online training sessions - we'll post the dates on our blog. Or ask our trainers if you want a quick overview. If y...

What is NHS OpenAthens?

To access our NHS-subscribed, online resources you need a username / password - this is an NHS OpenAthens username / password. OpenAthens is a protocol that allows you to log in to many different online resources using just one username and password. It is a service purchased by the NHS so that all NHS staff can easily access online resources such as ebooks, articles, journals, databases and clinical tools. To register for your NHS OpenAthens username complete the online form . Need more help? For more help you can: Contact your NHS OpenAthens administrator Complete our etutorial: NHS OpenAthens - what's fact or fake? Go to our NHS OpenAthens web page Go to our NHS OpenAthens help page

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