Evidence Based Practice Toolbox User Guide
When beginning to write protocols and procedures for APN clinical practice, finding the evidence on which to base practice
guidelines can be daunting.
One of the best sources of information for beginning to write protocols are clinical specialty organizations (such as
American Heart Association, or American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology). These organizations often have
published consensus statements and clinical practice guidelines for their specified clinical areas (such as the JNC-7
Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension).
The attached “EBM Toolbox” is a resource jointly developed by the Evidence Based Practice Office and the Center for Advanced
Practice Protocol Committee to help ensure all protocols comply with current evidence based guidelines. The Toolbox is a
collection of links to research databases and clearinghouses useful in finding references for clinical protocols and
procedures. The Toolbox is especially geared towards development of new protocols/procedures, but should be used to update
existing protocols as well to ensure no changes in evidence based practice since last writing.
The sections of the Toolbox are outlined below with suggestions for how each section may be utilized. This document is best
utilized via a workstation, as some links will only work through a Vanderbilt identified machine (i.e., not on personal
computer). You can also access most of these through Eskind Digital Library, when logged on with your VUNET ID.
Search Engines: These are various powerful databases which can be used to find synthesized information (such as a literature
review or summary of most updated clinical practice guidelines). You will be able to search by clinical condition or
practice area, but you may need to use several to do an exhaustive search.
Databases: Well known databases, which are the basic research repository for specific journals, studies and review articles
where more comprehensive literature review or clinical practice guidelines may not be available.
Guidelines: Other repository of consensus statements and management guidelines. You may be able to search by clinical
condition or practice area.
Nursing Websites: well known, nurse-centered websites, guideline databases and books available online. For writing
procedures, Mosby's Nursing Consult may be the best place to start.
Performance Measures: These links are most applicable to managers, administrators, leaders in the organization, and these
are geared towards organization certification, performance measures and quality of care.
EBM Tutorials: This may be a good place to start if it has been a while since you did a literature review or searches in
research databases. There are details about "how to find evidence based medicine" and how to use search engines mentioned in
above sections, as well as explaining levels of evidence.
If you are having difficulty finding the evidence you need, also be sure to utilize our Evidence Based Practice Nursing
research team. They can provide literature search assistance.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE / MEDICINE TOOLBOX
Search Engines:
Research Databases
Up ToDate Clinical Reference- is a database of clinical topic
reviews that synthesize clinical evidence and practice expertise.
The site offers practice recommendations supported by highquality evidence.
PubMed
DynaMed is a clinical reference tool created for use primarily at
the “point of care”. With clinically organized summaries for more
than 3,000 topics. The tool is updated daily and monitors over
500 medical journals and systematic evidence review databases
directly.
OVID to link to Cochran Database of Systematic review– This database comprises full text systematic reviews of the
medical literature. Cochran conducts rigorous appraisals and
synthesis of the literature to answer focused clinical questions of
interest to clinicians.
Duke Library
Medscape Nursing: requires account to be
created
Google Scholar
EBP at VU - Nursing Research Resource
Google
You can submit literature search
questions to the EBP team
Other Sites:
Pathway /Order Set Literature Locator - EBL librarians
answer questions that support pathways and order sets.
Eskind Digital Library
BMJ Evidence Center - Clinical Evidence systematic reviews
summarize the current state of knowledge and uncertainty about
the prevention and treatment of clinical conditions, based on
thorough searches and appraisal of the literature.
CINAHL (access through EDL)
the database covers appr. 2,700 nursing, allied
health, biomedical, and consumer health journals,
and ANA and NLN form 1982 to present
Nursing Digital Library:
Evidence Based Nursing Journal online:
access through Eskind
SumSearch – UT Health Science Center (easy to use search
engine)
MD Consult – The database is tailored for common clinical topics
Mosby’s Nursing Consult - via EBL Log-in
with VUNET ID
University of Washington (one stop shopping)
Cochran Library
TRIP DatabaseClick on the Pyramid to link to different grades of evidence
sources
Nursing Websites
Informatics resources and professional support through
Eskind Library
Guidelines
Nursing Guidelines
Royal College of Nursing
RN association of Ontario
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines
AHRQ Patient Safety & Quality Handbook for
Nurses
National Clearinghouse Guidelines
Nursing Digital Books
National Institute of Clinical Excellence
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
Center for Disease Control
Cancer Management Guidelines
New Zealand Guidelines Group
Mosby’s Nursing Skills - available via Mosby's
Nursing Consult
Ulrich & Canale: Nursing Care Planning
Guides
Urden: Thelan's Critical Care Nursing:
Diagnosis and Management
Patient Information Web Sites –
Evidence Base Medicine Tutorials
University of Minnesota: EBM Tutorial
Helpful Cheat
Sheets/Tutorials
Ovid Tutorials
Mosby’s Nursing Consult- click on Patient
Education Link from Mosby’s homepage
PubMed 10 tips
PubMed on line training
Duke & UNC-Chapel Hill: Evidence-Based Medicine Tutorial
MD Consult
University of Rochester Medical Center: Evidence Based Clinical
Practice Tutorial
Up-To-DateMedline Plus
EBSCO Tutorials
(includes CINAHL)
UIUC Library of the Health Sciences: EBM: Finding the Best Clinical
Literature
UNC Preparing Pt Ed Handouts
DynaMed Tutorial
Internet Tutorials
UNC Tutorial of EBM
Books on line
Center for Evidenced Based Mental Health
Searching the Evidence 1
Searching the Evidence 2
CEBM
Lexi Comp Online (Medications)
PDR Online
ICD-9 Look up
CPD codes
Netting the Evidence:
The Merck Manual
Lippincott:
Mosby’s e-Book List
Google Scholar
Tips