Ask A Librarian - SUNY Empire: Featured

In the field of Nursing, there's the Health and Psychosocial Database (HaPI) which is a comprehensive database of data collection instruments in that subject area. Unfortunately, we do not have access to it. That doesn't mean you can't research data collection instruments in Nursing though! 

Here are some ways to find names/acronyms of data collection instruments to investigate further:

1. Check out Nursing Research Instruments from San José State University Library. (for now at least we do not recommend this, since all of the links that pertain to nursing are broken) 
2. Go to Article Databases and select CINAHL (a nursing database). Choose Advanced Search and go to the Publication Type menu. Select Research Instrument and click the Search button. On the left side of the search results page, go to the Subject: Major Heading menu and expand the list of subject headings. Click the checkboxes for topics of interest to you. You can also use the publication date menu on the left side of the search results list. 
3. Go to Article Databases and select Medline (a medicine database) or PsycArticles (a psychological database). Search "data collection instrument*" AND [your general topic]. (Please consult our tutorial on searching with Boolean Operators if you have trouble.) For example, "data collection instrument*" AND "patient safety"

Regardless of which database you search in and what search techniques you use, focus on the Methodologies or Research Methods section of the article.

Here are some ways to find articles about data collection instruments:

1. Go to Article Databases and select CINAHL. Choose Advanced Search and use the Research checkbox. Search by the name of the instrument.
2. Go to Article Database and select either Medline Or PsycArticles. Choose Advanced Search and use the Methodologies checkbox. Search by the name of the instrument.