Skip to Main Content

Nursing

Evidence-Based Medicine Resources

More Evidence Based Practice Resources

About Cochrane Library

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR)

CDSR is the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. A Cochrane Review is a systematic review that attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a specific research question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit, systematic methods that are selected with a view aimed at minimizing bias, to produce more reliable findings to inform decision-making. Cochrane Reviews may be updated to reflect the findings of new evidence when it becomes available because the results of new studies can change the conclusions of a review. Cochrane Reviews are therefore valuable sources of information for those receiving and providing care, as well as for decision-makers and researchers.

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)

CENTRAL is a highly concentrated source of reports of randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials. Most CENTRAL records are taken from PubMed and Embase, but records are also derived from other published and unpublished sources, including CINAHL , ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.

Cochrane Clinical Answers (CCAs)

CCA provides 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 practising healthcare professionals.

Cochrane Protocols

Describes the proposed approach for a systematic review. A protocol outlines the question that the review authors are addressing, detailing the criteria against which studies will be assessed for inclusion in the review, and describing how the authors will manage the review process.