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Palliative and End-Of-Life Care: Databases

Collection of information sources and resources on Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Searching for literature

This page gives an overview of key databases for medical and allied health care literature.

Most of these resources require a subscription, though free databases are also listed.

Professionals and researchers working for the HSE can access databases using their Athens login supplied by the HSE library. The Irish Hospice Foundation Library also provides access to databases for their staff, students and for members of its library.           

Accessing databases

Options for Accessing Databases 

Access via HSE Library 

If you are employed by the HSE you can access databases using your HSE library Athens login 

 

Access via Irish Hospice Foundation Library 

Students, staff and members of the Irish Hospice Foundation library can access databases and resources using their Athens login  

 

Database searching - Tutorials

Searching CINAHL 

Performing a basic search - Tutorial HERE 

Advanced searching - Tutorial HERE 

Using MeSH headings in CINAHL - Tutorial HERE  

 

Searching PubMed & Medline 

Building your PubMed Search - Tutorial HERE

MeSH headings in PubMed & Medline - Tutorial HERE

Additional PubMed tutorials HERE 

Advanced Medline search on Ovid - Tutorial HERE 

Recommended Databases

KEY DATABASES  

CINAHL 

A comprehensive collection of over 3,000 titles in Nursing & Allied Health research, education and clinical practice. Relevant titles include Palliative & Supportive Care & Progress in Palliative Care  

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection database covers titles in emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry & psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational & experimental methods. This is the world's largest full text psychology database offering full text coverage for nearly 400 journals. Relevant titles include Palliative Medicine  

Medline 

MEDLINE is the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) bibliographic database containing over 22 million references to journal articles in medical and general health care. MEDLINE records are indexed with NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).    

PsychInfo 

Over 2.5 million articles from over 2,000 journals in behavioural and social sciences. Also includes some book chapters and dissertations.

Embase

Over 7,000 journals in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, including wide coverage of European sources, drugs and pharmaceuticals.

Cochrane Library

The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, systematic reviews. 

Free Databases 

Pubmed / Medline

Abstracts for 4600 biomedical journals indexed at the National Library of Medicine. Coverage is international and dates from the early 1950's. Many include full text.

TRIP Database 

Free online database for locating clinical evidence and guidelines 

LENUS The Irish Health Repository

LENUS provides open access to publications from the HSE and Irish Health researchers.  

Joanna Briggs Institute - Evidence based practice reviews 

Searchable database of evidence based practice reviews including a number on palliative interventions and palliative nursing & practice  

Medline Plus - End-of-life Issues 

A collection of articles and resources on end-of-life care and palliative care and symptoms 

National Health Library & Knowledge Service. Health Service Executive. Dr. Steevens' Hospital, Dublin 8. Tel: 01-6352555/8. Email: hselibrary@hse.ie

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