Library and Research Resources for M.S.N. Students

Medline Plus is a freely available consumer health information resource with relevant and easy-to-understand information. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Medline Plus is available in both English and Spanish, and also has health information in more than 60 languages. Medline Plus features include information on such subjects as:

• Health Topics:  Find information on health, wellness, disorders and conditions.
• Medical Tests:  Learn why your doctor orders medical tests and what the results may mean.
• Genetics:  From Genetics Home Reference. Explore genetic conditions, genes, and more.
• Medical Encyclopedia:  Articles and images for diseases, symptoms, tests, treatments.
• Drugs & Supplements:  Learn about prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, herbs, and supplements.
• Healthy Recipes:  Try these recipes as part of a healthy lifestyle.

DailyMed is a searchable database which contains labeling for prescription and nonprescription drugs for human and animal use, and for additional products such as medical gases, devices, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and medical foods. DailyMed provides the most recent labeling submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by companies and currently in use. The NLM provides DailyMed to the public free of charge, and does not accept advertisements. DailyMed entries often include a link to relevant entry in LactMed.

The Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) contains information on drugs and other chemicals to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. It includes information on the levels of such substances in breast milk and infant blood, and the possible adverse effects in the nursing infant. Suggested therapeutic alternatives to those drugs are provided, where appropriate. All data are derived from the scientific literature and fully references. A peer review panel reviews the data to assure scientific validity and currency.

The Cochrane Library is a freely available set of evidence-based medicine databases that contain different types of high quality independent evidence to inform healthcare decision making. It provides up-to-date information on the effects of intervention in health care and to inform those receiving care. Databases include:

• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) is the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. The CDSR includes Cochrane Reviews (systematic reviews) and protocols for Cochrane Reviews, as well as editorials and supplements.
• Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) is a highly concentrated source of reports of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials. In addition to bibliographic details (author, title, source, year, etc.) CENTRAL records often include an abstract/summary. They do NOT contain the full text of the article.
• Cochrane Clinical Answers (CCAs) provide a readable, digestible, clinically-focused entry point to rigorous research from Cochrane Reviews. They are designed to be actionable and to inform point-of-care decision-making. Each CCA contains a clinical question, a short answer, and data for the outcomes from the Cochrane Review deemed most relevant to practicing health care professionals.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Position Statements and White Papers publicly express the AACN's views on important issues, emerging trends, and other areas of common interest. Positions statements represent the official view of AACN, and require a vote by the membership. White papers are developed for issues that are currently evolving and for which no clear statement of position is currently evident. (An Overview of AACN Public Statements has more information on the different types of documents.)

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Training. West Texas A&M University requires  all individuals (faculty, staff, and students) conducting or participating in research projects that involve human subjects to complete training for the Protection of Human Subjects.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has great information on diseases and conditions, health living, travelers' health, emergency preparedness, and more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also has great information on a number of different health topics, including disease outbreaks. You may want to check out Disease Outbreak News for the latest news on current disease outbreaks.