Module 2

You used an electronic index, a guideline index, and a web search engine to retrieve information relevant to your clinical problem. Compare and contrast your results. Which resources were useful/ not useful for your information retrieval task, and why? Identify some alternative strategies for retrieving relevant information - would context relevant information retrieval be useful? (You must be detailed enough here, so that your blog entry evidences your use of both NGC and Google).

The clinical problem I chose was the use of aspirin to prevent miscarriages. I recently heard about research being conducted at the University of Utah regarding the use of aspirin in pregnant women to reduce the risk of miscarriage. I was interested in finding out what previous clinical trials had discovered and if there was reliable research that showed taking aspirin while pregnant reduced the risk of miscarriage in women with recurrent miscarriages.
The electronic index I chose to use was PubMed, since in the past I have used other indexes, such as CINAHL more often and after viewing the tutorial, I realized that there was a lot of information I could use. I was able to the clinical trials and meta-analyses that I searched. After looking through the information, I found some data supporting the use of aspirin and other anticoagulants, but also some data that showed no difference in outcomes. From the information I was able to find, it appears as if aspirin may be beneficial, but more research is needed.
The National Guideline Clearinghouse listed one guideline for recurrent miscarriages. In the information I found, aspirin was recommended preconceptionally, then in combination with heparin during pregnancy. Consultation with a specialist was also advised.
When I searched Google for recurrent miscarriages and aspirin, I was able to find quite a few results. I found a Cochrane Review, which had good information as well as several journal articles. The results also pulled up consumer friendly sites, such as Medscape which could also be useful, depending on the type of information needed.
All of these resources provided good information, however they each have their limitations as well. By using PubMed, I was able to find very specific and reliable information regarding my clinical problem, however it did take me quite a bit of time to navigate and figure out how to use it. The Guideline index pulled up a guideline that I could view quickly and easily, however only guideline on my topic was from the Netherlands. However, I am sure this resource could provide more applicable guidelines for other topics when needed and it was fast and easy to use. Google provided me with the most information, however, it requires the person doing the search to take quite a bit of time to filter through the results and determine what type of information they need and if the information found is from a credible source. I found good, credible information surprisingly quickly, but this will vary greatly depending on the topic searched.
This assignment was an excellent exercise in learning how to retrieve data. I realize that even though I have some experience in searching for data, I still have so much to learn in order to be more effective and efficient. Technology changes quickly and new resources are available all the time. Providers must stay current and up to date in order to have access to the best information to be able to provide the best care.