Sample Search

Stated research topic:
 If an ICU has an oral hygiene protocol in place, does this result in a lower incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia?     

Concepts:
ICU
oral hygiene protocol
ventilator associated pneumonia

Terms for searching:
ICU* OR "intensive care unit*"
"oral hygiene"  
"ventilator associated pneumonia"

Types of publications to use:
Journal Articles - Peer Reviewed, English language, Evidence-based, Publication date ≤ 5 years old (for currency)

Databases to try:
CINAHL Ultimate

Medline with Full Text

PubMed

Note:

• Truncate words to retrieve variant endings of a word:

ICU* will pick up ICU or ICUs

• Put quotation marks around phrases to search words together as a phrase: 

"ventilator associated pneumonia"