Information Literacy for Health Professionals

NHS Scotland staff have access to a wide range of databases via the Knowledge Network (opens in new window) and also the database UpToDate.  UHI staff and students have access to the suite of databases on the A-Z (opens in new window).  Additionally UHI staff and students doing health related courses with NHS placement also have access to the Knowledge Network. 

There are a large number of databases available to search.  We recommend that an evidence based approach is taken in which the top level evidence tools are searched first - always start your search with Dynamed, BMJ Best Practice, Campbell Library, Cochrane Library, SIGN, NICE and the EPPI-Centre. 

This is then followed by the databases - which databases you use is determined by your subject - some suggestions are given below.  These are not exhaustive and the key to a good systematic review is to use as many relevant databases as possible:

• for nursing use CINAHL, followed by Medline, and Embase. 
• for midwifery use MIDIRS, then CINAHL, followed by Medline, and Embase
• for medicine, use Medline and Embase, followed by perhaps CINAHL and MIDIRS
• for pharmacology use, Martindale's, BNF, Embase and Medline
• for psychology use PsycINFO, followed, by CINAHL, Medline and Embase
• for social care use Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, Social Policy and Practice, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts,, CINAHL, Medline and Embase
• for alternative therapies use AMED, CINAHL, Medline and Embase
• for physiotherapy use PEDRO, CINAHL, AMED, Medline and CINAHL
• for occupational therapy use OT Seeker, PEDRO, CINAHL, AMED, Medline and CINAHL.

If you are attached to a University check their database collection and if they have databases with broad coverage such as SCOPUS and Web of Science - utilise these.  These databases are are multidisciplinary in nature and often can recover materials not covered by the subject specific databases.

UpToDate - UpToDate is one of the most trusted brands in healthcare, providing key clinical and drug information at the point of care.  NB will only let you access from NHS Highland and UHI Centre for Health Science/UHI House PCs. To ensure you are logged in check that the text NHS Highland is appearing in the top right hand corner of page.

Dynamed - combines the highest quality evidence-based information, expert guidance and a user-friendly, personalized experience to deliver accurate answers fast at the point of care.  Available via the Knowledge Network..

BMJ Best Practice - is an evidence-based generalist point of care tool, uniquely structured around the patient consultation.  Available via the Knowledge Network..

SIGN - Scottish guidelines from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.

NICE - Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Cochrane Library - systematic reviews from the Cochrane Collaboration - mainly health care related

Campbell Library - systematic reviews from the Campbell Collaboration - mainly social, educational and health care related.

EPPICentre - systematic reviews mainly social, educational and health care related.

CINAHL - slightly different versions available on both the UHI (opens in new window) and Knowledge Network (opens in new window) systems -  the main nursing database - linked to full text journals.  Also covers allied health related disciplines.  Ovid Nursing Database (opens in new window) is also available via the UHI network.

Medline - OVID version is recommended for its functionality.  Subscribed to by both UHI (opens in new window) and Knowledge Network (opens in new window) - one of the main medical databases - linked to full text journals.  Also covers social care, nursing, allied health as well as veterinary medicine.

Embase (opens in new window) - only available via the Knowledge Network - a major health, pharmacological and biomedical literature database - linked to full text journals - has a European focus.  Also useful for nursing, social care and allied health.

Public Health Database (opens in new window) - only available via the Knowledge Network - public health specific database with links to full text

PsycInfo - the main psychological database - with full text articles.  Slightly different version of the database subscribed to by both UHI (opens in new window) and Knowledge Network (opens in new window).

Maternity and Infant care (MIDIRS) (opens in new window) - available via the Knowledge Network - midwifery specific database with full text.

Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) - available via the Knowledge network - the alternative medicine database - with full text

There are a range of social care databases available via the Knowledge Network with full text materials - these resources are - Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA) (opens in new window), Social Policy and Practice (opens in new window), Social Services Abstracts (opens in new window), Sociological Abstracts (opens in new window) and Sociology Collection  (opens in new window).

PEDro (opens in new window) - the main physiotherapy evidence database - free open access with some full text access.

OTSeeker - an evidence based database for occupational therapy.

These databases cover a much wider base of content. Being broad based they are extremely useful.  In addition to these features the records are interlinked so you can do forwards and backwards citation searching to increase your range of retrieval .  They are only available to UHI staff and students.

Web of Science (opens in new window) - the original citation database.  Allows citation searching and links to full text materials

Scopus (opens in new window) - a relative newcomer on the scene - again a massive citation database with full text links.