CINAHL
Questions?? Ask your Librarian!! Beth Transue
btransue@messiah.edu - AIM: boolibmessiah - x3810 - Facebook
What is CINAHL? A database that indexes the literature of the nursing field.
How to access CINAHL: Go to Messiah Library Homepage, Select Databases, Select
Sciences and Health-Nursing, Select CINAHL.
Basic Search CINAHL
Search keywords  Type keyword, Search
Search within specified fields such as title  Type keyword
 Select field from list, Search
Truncation  Add * to word
Limits  Select refine search:
o Full text documents
o Years/Dates
o Review articles
o Gender, Age
o Subject subset
o Publication type
o Language
Advanced Search CINAHL
Search subject headings  Select CINAHL headings from the
Subject headings are controlled top menu
vocabulary words, or ‘tags’  Search for subject term
assigned by experts. Using these  Add to search box and run search
subject words will often give you
better results than just regular
keywords.
Explode subject:  Search for CINAHL headings
Search for subject term and also  Select explode checkbox
search for subject terms that are  Add to search box and run search
narrower in hierarchical scope in
CINAHL subject thesaurus
Search for subject as the Major Concept  Search CINAHL headings
of article  Select Major Concept checkbox
 Add to search box and run search
Search for subheadings  Search CINAHL headings
 Select relevant subheading
 Add to search box and run search

Navigation CINAHL
Display records  Select title
 Open pdf if available
Availability 1. Open pdf if available
2. Search periodicals list to determine
if journal is full-text in another
electronic database
3. Search periodicals list to determine
if journal is in print collection
4. Request through Interlibrary loan
link
Save results  Add record to folder
 Go to folder
 Save to personal files
Refworks export  Add record to folder
 Go to folder
 Save
 Choose Bibliographic Manager tab
 Direct export to Refworks
Email results  Add record to folder
 Go to folder
 Email
Print results  Print from browser, OR
 Add record to folder
 Go to folder
 Print, choose citation style