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Current issues and news | Bibliographic databases | E-texts | Library catalogues | Organisations | Research and development | Statistical resources | Universities and colleges
Current issues and news
Nursing and Midwifery | National Health Service
Nursing and midwifery
British Nursing News online
Comprehensive daily news service for UK nurses, with searchable archive
Internurse
Brief news stories, with archive
Keele University
Faculty of Health - school of nursing & midwifery
MIDIRS
Latest news for midwives with searchable archive
Nottingham University
School of Nursing
Nurserve
News stories, with archive and links to nursing sites
Nursing and Midwifery Council: news online
Nursing and Midwifery Council: news online
Nursing Standard
Current week's news and online articles
RCN Institute
Research opportunities with the RCN Institute.
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Chief Executive Bulletin
A weekly alerting service to publications, circulars and announcements from the Department of Health, including links to full text documents and summaries
Department of Health News Desk
Latest NHS and social care news, with link to NHS Update archive
NHS Update
Details of the latest developments in the NHS, with archive
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Bibliographic Databases
Subscription databases (NHS) | Free online bibliographic databases
Subscription databases(NHS)
Provision includes:
BNI British Nursing Index contains articles from more than 220 of the most popular English language nursing and allied health journals, dating back to 1994.
CINAHL International database of nursing, midwifery, allied health, biomedical and consumer health literature (400,000 + citations). Indexes 900 periodicals. Contains abstracts for post-1986 material: citations only for pre-1986 material
EMBASE Major database of biomedical and pharmaceutical literature, with coverage from 1980.
MEDLINE US National Library of Medicine's international database of citations to more than 12 million articles published in 4,300 biomedical journals, dating back to the mid-1960s. Includes nursing and midwifery material.
PsycINFO Covers the literature of psychology, behavioural sciences and related disciplines, back to 1887. More than 1.5 million citations (journal articles, books, book chapters, technical reports, and dissertations) in more than 30 languages with abstracts in English.
ENGLAND:
National Electronic Library for Health
NHS Dialog Portal
Local NHS portals (e.g. Aditus, Heroine, Swice, Wish)
NORTHERN IRELAND:
Health on the Net Northern Ireland (HONNI)
SCOTLAND:
NHS Scotland's e-library
WALES:
Health of Wales Information Service (HOWIS)
Click NHS Staff Resources in left-hand panel
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Free online bibliographic databases
AgeInfo
Contains more than 40,000 books, articles and reports relating to age and ageing, maintained by the Centre for Policy on Ageing
Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Science Database (ETOH)
Comprehensive online bibliographic database (over 100,000 records) on alcohol abuse, etc., updated monthly. Contains research findings from the late 1960s to the present
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Small database of full text articles drawn from AACCN journals
BioMed Central
Growing database of peer-reviewed full-text research articles in all fields of biological sciences and clinical medicine
National Cancer Institute
Produced by the International Cancer Information Center (US National Cancer Institute). Contains more than 1.8 million citations and abstracts from over 4,000 different sources including biomedical journals, proceedings, books, reports, and doctoral theses. Updated monthly. There are also links to searchable databases of cancer clinical trials and NCI publications
Caredata
Provided by the UK electronic library for social care, abstracting items from more than 250 journal articles, monographs, reports, central and local government publications, etc.
CHID online: Combined Health Information Database
US database devoted to health information and health promotion
Cochrane Library
Major searchable collection of evidence-based healthcare literature that includes extensive reviews of randomised controlled trials, ongoing protocols, and database of documentary sources
ERIC
Major database, indexing resources for the theory and practice of education, including learning disabilities. Covers articles, books, theses, conference papers, curricula, and standards
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Nice is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health. On 1st April 2005 NICE merged with the Health Department Agency to become the new National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, known as NICE.
Instant Disability Information Center
(USA) Maintained by the National Rehabilitation Information Center, provides searchable databases of document abstracts (from 1956), research projects, and other relevant resources
internurse.com
Small database of post-1995 citations drawn from six leading UK journals, including British Journal of Nursing and British Journal of Midwifery. Subscription required for full text. To access, click library (top left screen)
MEDLINE See PubMED
NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) Databases
Established in 1994, the CRD provides important information on the effectiveness of treatments and the delivery and organisation of healthcare. Databases include:
- DARE (Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness) a source for quality-assessed systematic research reviews of the effectiveness of healthcare
- HTA (Health Technology Assessment Database) containing information on healthcare technology assessments
- NHSEED (NHS Economic Evaluation Database) compares and examines costs and outcomes of treatments and care alternatives
PEDro - Physiotherapy Evidence Database
Developed by the Centre for Evidence-Based Physiotherapy (CEBP) to offer bibliographic details and abstracts of randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews in physiotherapy
POPLINE
Major bibliographic database for reproductive health, covering family planning issues, population law and policy, and primary healthcare, including maternal/child health in developing countries. About 300,000 records (journal articles, monographs, technical reports, and unpublished works), updated monthly. Provided by Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
PubMed
The US National Library of Medicine's database of references to more than 12 million articles published in 4,300 biomedical journals. This major database includes nursing and midwifery material. More free MEDLINE sites are listed by OMNI at http://omni.ac.uk/medline/
Springer Link Search
Searchable database of article abstracts from hundreds of scientific journals, including life sciences and medicine
TOXNET
A cluster of 11 searchable databases, including TOXLINE which covers all aspects of toxicology, including hazardous chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, environmental pollutants and safety, mutagens and teratogens. Provides bibliographic citations and abstracts from journal articles, monographs, technical reports, theses, letters, meeting abstracts, papers and reports. Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine
TRIP Database (Turning Research into Practice)
Hosted by the Centre for Research Support in Wales, TRIP aims to support research amongst primary care teams in Wales. Sorts search results, mostly full text, by evidence-based practice, peer-reviewed articles, and clinical guidelines, etc.
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E-Texts
Official documents | Periodicals | Books | Reports & guidelines
Department of Health Publications
Links to Green and White Papers, reports, guidelines and circulars
National Statistics: Virtual Bookshelf
Provides quick links to full text versions of popular statistical publications, e.g. Health and personal social services statistics, Health Statistics Quarterly, Mortality statistics, Regional Trends, Social Trends
Official Documents
Provides full text of selected official documents, including government reports, command papers, and House of Commons papers (1994-)
Stationery Office
Full text of Acts of Parliament (1988-) and Statutory Instruments (1987-)
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BioMed Central
Peer-reviewed full-text research articles in all fields of biological sciences and clinical medicine. Journals can be browsed. Registration (free) is required for searching. (59 BMC titles and 40+ other titles offering free articles)
Free Medical Journals
Extensive listing of free full-text electronic journals. (990 titles)
Internet Scientific Publications
Growing list of full text medical e-journals. Free access. (54 titles)
PubMed Central (PMC)
The U.S. National Library of Medicine's digital archive of life sciences journal literature. Access is free and unrestricted. (118 titles)
Top 25 Nursing Journals (article)
As a nurse, it is important to stay informed about the latest advancements in nursing, as well as the treatment options available to patients.
FreeBooks4Doctors!
Full-text electronic books arranged by speciality, title, and language
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
Audit Commission
Independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is used economically, efficiently and effectively. Links to full text reports
Bandolier
Provides reports and news about evidence-based medicine besides thematically arranged collections of good quality independent evidence on health issues
Care Pathways
Launched in 2001, this database provides information about 2,000+ care pathways currently in use, or in preparation, in more than 200 NHS organisations. Pathways available on-line can be listed by subject - use the View Pathways by ... drop-down menu, top right screen
ENB Research Highlights
Online versions available for issues 1 to 50 (1993-2002).
Grey Literature Report
Quarterly subject listings of US grey literature (health-related) with links to full text. Published by the Library of the New York Academy of Medicine
Guidelines Finder
A database of UK national guidelines (600+) with links to downloadable versions. Developed by the National electronic Library for Health
Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT)
US site providing access to full-text documents that offer useful information for healthcare decision making. Publications include clinical practice guidelines, quick-reference guides for clinicians, consumer health brochures, evidence reports and technology assessments
Health Technology Assessment Programmes
Allows searching for commissioned projects and publications that fall within specific disease areas, Government priority areas, or types of intervention
Minnesota Health Technology Advisory Committee
Lists full-text evaluation reports and briefs
Primary Care Clinical Practice Guidelines
Compiled by Peter Sam (University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine) for primary care providers. Aims to include all practice guidelines, evidence-based, consensus, practice parameters, protocols, as well as other resources such as primary articles, integrative studies, meta-analysis, critically appraised topics, and review articles
STEER (Succinct and Timely Evaluated Evidence Review)
Reports are published regularly in full text (pdf) by the Wessex Institute for Health Research & Development. Follow the links to STEER Reports
British Library Public Catalogue
COPAC (Consortium of University Research Libraries OPAC)
UK university libraries and other institutions
Links to web-based library catalogues, provided by HERO (Higher Education &Research Opportunities in the United Kingdom)
NICE (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence)
RCN Institute
Research opportunities with the RCN Institute.
Research & Development Policy & Information
Policy and general information | Funding and training opportunities | Research interest groups | Methodology and techniques
Policy and general information
Central Office for Research Ethics Committees
Department of Health Research & Development
European RTD Insight
Monthly publication from the UK Research Office, funded by the British Council. Reports news and developments in EU research, including information on education, training and culture, external collaboration, events and awards, new publications and on-line resources. It also contains a glossary of EU acronyms and terms
Keeping Track: a Guide to Longitudinal Resources
Developed by National Statistics and the Institute for Social & Economic Research, University of Essex. 'The central purpose of this site is to allow users to see what kinds of longitudinal data are available and to locate information about studies which may provide data useful to their research interests.' The resources (which include many health topics) can be searched or browsed
Funding and training opportunities
Clinfield
Clinfield is a young organisation with a focus on career development for research nurses.
Economic & Social Research Council
The UK's leading research funding and training agency addressing economic and social concerns
RCN Research & Development Co-ordinating Centre Research funding
RDInfo
A large database of health-related funding and training opportunities
RDLearning
Provides direct access to health-related training courses, conferences, workshops and short courses
Referencing Electronic Formats
Recommendations by the American Psychological Association
Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences
Compiled by Helen Hough, Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Arlington, Texas. Provides useful references to assessment instruments used in the social sciences
Statistical resources
International | National and regional | Local | Topics | Statistical method and techniques
United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN)
Broad range of global statistics, indicators and projections, including information and data about population trends, ageing, HIV/AIDS, contraceptive use, marriage, children and fertility patterns
United Nations Statistics Division
Source for social indicators, including data about population, child-bearing, fertility patterns, youth and elderly populations, education, human settlements, literacy, water supply and sanitation, income and economic activity, housing, unemployment, and health
The World Health Organisation Statistical Information System (WHOSIS)
Provides a wide variety of online global health data dealing with: ageing, AIDS/HIV, basic health indicators, burden of disease, health personnel, healthy life expectancy rankings, infectious diseases, international classifications (ICD-10, ICIDH), immunisation, and mortality. There is an online version of the World Health Statistics Annual (causes of death, causes of infant death, life expectancy, and age-standardised death rates), population estimates, and statistical data from World Health Reports
The CIA's World Factbook
General information about specific countries, including demographic data and HIV/AIDS data
National Center for Health Statistics
Extensive statistical information for the United States
National and regional statistics
Department of Health: Statistics & Surveys
Broad range of UK national and regional healthcare statistics, with links to an alphabetical listing of statistics arranged by topic. There are links to NHS Hospital Activity Statistics, NHS Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Performance, NHS Star Ratings, NHS Waiting times, PSS Performance (Social Services), PSS Star Ratings (Social Services) and the Health Survey for England
National Statistics
The official UK statistics site, providing free web access to a wide range of recent statistical data gathered by the Office of National Statistics and government departments. The data is grouped by themes, including health and care, population and migration, social and welfare. Statistical tables are searchable and are also listed alphabetically
National Statistics: Virtual Bookshelf
Provides quick links to full text versions of popular statistical publications, e.g. Health and personal social services statistics, Health Statistics Quarterly, Mortality statistics, Regional Trends, Social Trends
Neighbourhood Statistics
Detailed demographic and social information for individual electoral wards is available from the Neighbourhood Statistics Division of the ONS. Data can be retrieved by postcode or by name searches (ward, city, or region). A Profile and Key Statistics page is provided for each ward but users may also define their own search profile by selecting from a list of options
National Statistics
Offers an A-Z searching and thematic listings of its extensive collection of official statistics
Communicable diseases
The Public Health Laboratory Service is the prime source for statistical information relating communicable diseases in the UK. Its publications page links to annual reviews, reports, periodicals, and weekly updates
Health and Safety
The Health and Safety Executive offers information and statistics on occupational injuries and ill-health for Scotland, Wales, and the English regions
Heart Disease
A range of statistics relating to heart disease, published by the British Heart Foundation
Morbidity
The Royal College of General Practitioners publishes weekly morbidity statistics returned from 78 practices (March 2003) and is transferring annual reports to its the web site
Smoking
ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) provides links to statistics on smoking and health
Transplants
The United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority (UKTSSA) maintains and publishes the latest statistics concerning organ transplants
Statistical methods and technique
The Internet glossary of statistical terms
Provides definitions and brief discussions of statistical terminology. Requires Flash MX (free download)
Lane, D.M. (1993-2001) HyperStat online textbook
Swinscow, T.D.V. (1997) Statistics at square one. BMJ Publishing
Universities and colleges
The RCN Publishing Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal College of Nursing, the world's largest organisation for nurses. RCN Publishing produces one weekly, eight monthly and two quarterly nursing publications. Nursing Standard, the flagship journal, is the UK's biggest selling weekly for nursing. It is produced by RCN Publishing Company along with a suite of specialist nursing journals - Cancer Nursing Practice, Mental Health Practice, Learning Disability Practice, Nursing Children and Young People, Nursing Management, Emergency Nurse, Nursing Older People, Nurse Researcher and Primary Health Care. RCN Publishing Company also produce the RCN Bulletin, a major source of up-to-the-minute information for RCN members in all specialities, grades and working environments. With the latest nurse vacancies from trusts nationwide, it has become the most cost-effective nurse recruitment magazine available.