Searching for Evidence to develop a search strategy

Read and use the information from Dearholt Chapter 5: Searching for Evidence to develop a search strategy for answering your practice or research question.

This strategy should be written along with a snapshot of the best search.

 Please state in a narrative how you accomplished each of the following. These are the steps in searching for evidence:

1.    Determine the best keywords and other terms to use for searching databases.

2.    Identify the best databases to search.

3.    Decide the best strategies for searching, including exclusions, inclusions, and operating delimiters.

4.    Evaluate the level, validity and quality of the evidence.

5.    Record the search strategy and results. (You will probably do many searches, but the instructor would like to see a picture of your best search with terms used, limits placed, years searched).

You can download this search or copy and paste into Word or take a screen shot. To take a screen shot, most Windows computers have the snip option. Click the Start button and type in the search box "snip tool." An option will appear asking if you want full page, rectangles etc. Click on the full page option. 

The quality of the evidence is paramount. Re-read Dearholt Chapters 5 & 6 on how to be sure a found resource has external, internal and construct validity.

Use the Dearholt criteria (pg 232 and 233) in your evaluation of the evidence that you find in your search.

 The general process is to identify articles and other evidence from various databases (Dearholt-See Table 5.3 pg 78) then determine if the full article/book is available through the SAU White Library or the report/guideline is available from an online source.

My Practice or research question

In medical facilities, do frequent handwashing educational activities and use of hand sanitizer as compared with no educational program, impact the incidence of infectious illnesses and improve the hand hygiene practices of Nurses and healthcare workers.?