Have a Question?
Library Reference Desk
(563)-333-6245 / librefdesk@sau.edu
Nursing Librarians
Alison Tollas
(563)-333-6244 / TollasAlison@sau.edu
Hannah Carlton
(563)-333-6474 / CarltonHannah@sau.edu
SAU Library Website
https://www.sau.edu/library
Search Strategies and Tips
When searching for scholarly Nursing articles, a good place to start is library databases. Library databases provide access to high-quality, scholarly articles from reputable journals, which are often not openly accessible on the internet.
This page contains links to databases and tutorials that show how to search for scholarly articles in library databases and online.
- Accessing Nursing Databases Text GuideAnother way to access library databases is through the A-Z Databases list on SAU Library's website. This text guide shows how to find databases that are best bets for Nursing students.
- Search Tips for Finding Scholarly Nursing ArticlesThis guide provides a range of search tips and strategies to help you effectively search scholarly databases for nursing articles.
Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary Loan is a free service that students can use to request articles that are not available through library databases or the open web. If you found an article that you do not have access to, use the Interlibrary Loan Form to request it. To fill out the form, log in with your SAU username and password. Requested articles are sent to students through email.
For help with creating a request, contact the Library Reference Desk at librefdesk@sau.edu or 563-333-6245. If you have a question about an existing Interlibrary Loan request, please email ill@sau.edu.
CINAHL
- CINAHL Ultimate This link opens in a new windowThis nursing database contains nearly 1,600 full-text scholarly journals and is widely considered the premier nursing database in the industry. Also includes a number of evidence-based care sheets.
- CINAHL Text GuideThis guide provides instructions and tips for using CINAHL to find scholarly Nursing articles.
Medline
- MEDLINE Complete This link opens in a new windowThis biomedicine and health database which contains over 1,000 full-text scholarly journals.
- MEDLINE Text GuideThis guide provides instructions and tips for using MEDLINE to find scholarly articles.
PubMed Central
- PubMed Central This link opens in a new windowThis biomedical and life sciences database contains nearly 4,000 full-text scholarly journals pertaining to a variety of health and biology fields.
Google Scholar
- Google ScholarGoogle Scholar searches scholarly materials such as journal articles, research reports, dissertations and theses, preprints, technical reports, patents, manuscripts in preparation, working papers, and many other document types. Note: Many sources that appear in Google Scholar are NOT peer reviewed.
Open Access Journals
Open access journals contain articles that are available and reusable worldwide free of charge and without restrictions immediately on publication. A few open access sources are listed below, and these may contain Nursing journal articles.
BioMed Central- BMC Nursing
BMC Nursing is a peer-reviewed journal that covers a variety of aspects of Nursing.
- BMC Journals
- If you do not see BMC Nursing, it is not likely a Nursing article. There are several other disciplines that that publish in BMC journals, and they are acceptable to use as well.
PLOS ONE
PLOS ONE is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers primary research from any discipline within science and medicine.
BMJ Open
BMJ Open is a peer-reviewed medical journal dedicated to publishing medical research from all disciplines and therapeutic areas.