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Searching the Literature

First, break your question down into key concepts

elderly falls in acute care clipartAlthough PubMed tries to be as user-friendly as Google, you cannot simply ask your question. 

You need to limit your keywords to the main concepts of your question.

For example, if your question is:

"What evidence-based interventions are most effective in reducing falls among elderly patients
in acute care settings?"

Then our key concepts could be:

  • Elderly
  • Falls
  • Acute Care Settings
  • Interventions

NOTE: Remember that using PICO, QI, or SOS to formulate your question can help you identify your main concepts.

Remember...

  • Literature searching is an iterative process that involves trial and error. 

  • Your search concepts and terms may change as you find results and refine your search.