A comprehensive list of library resources for writing a nursing paper

The University at Buffalo Libraries facilitates access to information in all formats, providing multiple approaches to explore research topics, identify teaching tools, and make meaningful connections and discoveries. The libraries have numerous resources that encourage research, learning, teaching and creative activities. Support for research and inquiry is provided via the many information and evidence-based tools. As a member of the University’s academic community with a UB username and password, you are authorized to access all information resources available throughout the UB Libraries system.  

Below is a list of the most used resources in nursing and a summary of the content of each. Descriptions are taken from the product discovery pages of each tool.

PubMed is a free resource supporting the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature to improve health – both globally and personally. MEDLINE is the largest component of PubMed and contains more than 32 million citations and abstracts of biomedical literature.

CINAHL Database provides indexing of the top nursing and allied health literature available including nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses Association. Literature covers a wide range of topics including nursing, biomedicine, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines.

APA PsycINFO provides comprehensive coverage of the professional and scholarly literature in psychology and psychiatry, and selective coverage in education, social work, sociology and related disciplines.

EMBASE is a major biomedical and pharmacological database containing citations, abstracts and indexing derived from biomedical articles in peer-reviewed international journals. It’s especially strong in its coverage of drug and pharmaceutical research.

Web of Science Core Collection (WOS) is a curated collection of over 21,000 peer-reviewed, high-quality scholarly journals published worldwide (including Open Access journals) in over 250 science, social sciences and humanities disciplines. Conference proceedings and book data are also available.

The Cochrane Collaboration prepares full-text systematic reviews of the effects of health care. Two types of reviews are presented: complete reviews and protocols. Complete reviews are Cochrane Reviews prepared and maintained by Collaborative Review Groups. Protocols are the background, objectives and methods of reviews being prepared.

Nursing Reference Center is clinically oriented reference tool for nurses and other health care professionals. Content is derived from a combination of essential resources. Full-text information covers a wide range of health conditions, diseases, patient education, drug information, continuing education, guidelines and information on research instruments.

UpToDate is an evidence-based clinical resource that provides specific, detailed answers to clinical questions and treatment recommendations based on the best medical evidence.

ClinicalKey is a search engine and database of peer-reviewed and evidence-based clinical information resources designed to support physician-patient care decisions.

Clinical Pharmacology is a comprehensive drug reference that uses the intelligent search engine capability of ClinicalKey to provide fast point-of-care drug information that is current, accurate and clinically relevant.

Lexi-comp is a comprehensive, continuously updated clinical database that provides access to drug, herbal and disease information for point-of-care clinical decision making.

EndNote is a software tool for managing references. EndNote helps to organize bibliographic references from journal articles, book chapters, websites and other information sources. References can be downloaded from UB Libraries' databases directly into a personal EndNote database known as a library in EndNote terminology. EndNote software is available to download from the University Libraries website. 

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition, is the official source for APA Style. It is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering and other fields.

For additional assistance, contact Amy Lyons, Health Sciences Information Team and liaison to the School of Nursing at alyons@buffalo.edu.