Improving Literature Searches

The ability to conduct a literature search is often viewed as a formidable task by nurse clinicians and nurse researchers. The CNS is in a position to mentor and lead the healthcare team through the process of a literature search. Guided by the clinical problem and research question, the CNS establishes key words, selects databases, retrieves and reads articles meeting inclusion criteria, and synthesizes and summarizes the results.When there are fewstudies or low levels of evidence found on a topic/clinical problem, the literature review supports the need for nursing research. Another consideration for CNSs is examining the literature to discover what research has already been completed and to identify the knowledge gaps in the literature that support the need for future research. This article will also discuss how the CNS conducts a literature search to find relevant articles that help understand what nursing researchers have reported in relation to a specific clinical problem or a clinical outcome. Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.