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CINAHL Description

CINAHL LogoCINAHL Plus is one of the best resources for nursing research. It is a subscription database for nursing and allied health professionals and has powerful search tools. You can limit results by various criteria, including date, subject, and type of research. In addition to full-text peer-reviewed articles, CINAHL has evidence-based care sheets and quick lessons.

Besides the link below, you can access CINAHL via the Databases button on the library homepage.

CINAHL Basic Searching

To conduct a basic search in CINAHL, simply enter your keyword(s) into the search box and click Search. Then, refine your results using the tools in the left column of the results page. Here are some tips for best results:

  • Use the date slider to limit results to a particular date range, such as the most current 5 years.
  • For most college-level research, academic journals are the most appropriate source type.
  • In general, do not use the "Full Text" limiter. Some articles are not available in CINAHL, but clicking the "Find full text" button will lead you to the full text in another database or let you request a free copy.

CINAHL Advanced Searching: CINAHL/MeSH Headings

Sometimes a single concept can be described multiple ways, which can make it difficult to find all of the useful information on a particular topic. CINAHL Subject Headings account for differences in language and help you retrieve more relevant results. Learn more about how to use CINAHL Headings in the video below.