CINAHL will open automatically at the Advanced Search screen.
To carry out a keyword search ensure that you have unchecked the Suggest Subject Terms tick box.
Now you can enter each of your search concepts into the boxes provided.
Use a different line or box for each concept, for example:
You can choose to search each of your search concepts one at a time. This can make it easier to edit the search terms later if necessary.
Keep an eye on the Suggest Subject Terms box to ensure it remains unchecked for a keyword search
Search for the next concept with alternative terms.
Use truncation and phrase searching where appropriate.
Once you have entered and searched both of the concepts, scroll down to the search history, select searches,
and combine them using the AND operator to find results containing both concepts
When these concepts have been combined with AND, another search will appear with the results listed for the combined search.
You can now begin to limit the search using the 'Refine Results' panel on the left of the screen.
The results will now contain articles combining the concepts of shared decision making/family interventions and nursing intervention/nursing care
Combine terms using the connectors AND, OR, NOT from the drop down menu or by typing them directly into the box.
OR – use OR to find articles which use any or several of your search terms, or to combine terms that are similar
This will increase the number of articles found
e.g. poison OR venom OR toxicant
AND – use AND to find articles which use all of your search terms, or combine terms that are different
This will reduce the number of articles found
e.g. oxygen AND level AND blood
NOT - use NOT to exclude terms
e.g. copper NOT lead
*Use this search with caution as it may exclude relevant results*
Advanced searching techniques can also be used
Truncation e.g. therap* will find therapy, therapies, and therapeutic
Phrase searching e.g. “shared decision making” will find the exact phrase by using quotation marks