Research Guides: Nursing : Getting Started

Free NCLEX Test Prep

Learning Express Library has NCLEX practice exams, ATI TEAS exams, and a resume builder.

Career Preparation
Prepare for a career exam, explore occupations, and improve workplace skills.
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Books on the Shelf at Main Campus in L113

These are just a few examples of nursing related Books that can be found on the shelf at Main Campus.

Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Mcphee Papadakis; Stephen J. McPhee; Maxine A. Papadakis; Michael W. Rabow
Call Number: Reference RC71 .C87 2017
ISBN: 9781259585111
Diversity and Cultural Awareness in Nursing Practice by Beverley Brathwaite (Editor)
Call Number: (SKYCTC and Glasgow Campuses) Reference RT86.54 .D58 2020
ISBN: 9781526424341
Publication Date: 2020-02-18
As a nurse responsible for providing person-centered care it is vital that you understand how culture and diversity affect patients' experience of health care. This book will provide you with the knowledge, awareness and skills to do it.

Online Resources

Physician's Desk Reference: Browse by Drug Name
Digital version of the Physician's Desk Reference book. Browse PDR's full list of drug information alphabetically by choosing the first letter of the drug you are trying to locate.
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
A peer-reviewed journal from The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. *12 month full text delay due to publisher restrictions.
Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN)
A scholarly journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA).peer-reviewed, Online publication that addresses current topics affecting nursing practice, research, education, and the wider health care sector.
American Nurse Today
Official journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA). View Clinical Topics and Resources, including Research 101.

Study Aids

Davis's Comprehensive Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications by Anne M. Van; Mickey L. Bladh
Call Number: e-book
ISBN: 9781719640589
Publication Date: 2021-04-06
Nursing-focused and easy-to-read, this full-color manual delivers all the information you need to understand how tests work, interpret their results, and provide quality patient care--pre-test, intra-test, and post-test.

Merck Manual - Medical Pronunciations (Audio)
Reference book for physicians and pharmacists.

Instant Anatomy by Whitaker & Borley
Call Number: Access online with KCTCS login
ISBN: 9781119159384
Publication Date: 2016
Presents anatomy and anatomical relationships in a simple, unique, schematic manner to aid the speedy understanding and retrieval of anatomical facts.
Mosby's Medical Terminology Flash Cards by Mosby
Call Number: On Reserve R 123 .M673 2021
ISBN: 9780323762892
Publication Date: 2021-11-09
This set of 675 colorful flash cards makes it fun and easy to master the language of health care! Mosby's Medical Terminology Flash Cards, 5th Edition helps you memorize the prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms used to build medical terms.
Made Incredibly Easy Series (ProQuest)
Call Number: Access online with KCTCS login
ISBN: 9781451194241
The books in this series break down challenging clinical concepts and present them in a refreshingly original, engaging style that is easy to understand.
Master the NCLEX-RN by Peterson's
Call Number: e-book (use SKYCTC login)
ISBN: 9780768943665
Publication Date: 2019-09-03
Comprehensive source of information designed to help candidates score their best on the licensing exam to become a registered nurse.
Mosby's Pocket Guide to Nursing Skills and Procedures by Anne G. Perry; Patricia A. Potter
Call Number: SKYCTC Reference; RT51 .P37 2019 and e-book (Use Skyctc login credentials)
ISBN: 9780323529105
Publication Date: 2018-02-02
This spiral-bound guide presents 85 key nursing skills in a convenient, A-to-Z format. Step-by-step instructions include full-color photos plus rationales explaining why and how to use specific techniques to help you troubleshoot potential problems and take appropriate actions to address them.

Nursing Databases with Scholarly Articles and eBooks

Click on the links below to search online databases for full-text articles. If you are off-campus, login with your KCTCS credentials.

CINAHL with Full Text
Full text for thousands of the most-used nursing & allied health journals.
Watch this short video on how to use this database:

MEDLINE (EBSCO)
MEDLINE provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more.
Watch this short video on how to use this database:
Nursing and Allied Health (Gale)
All aspects of the Nursing profession -- from direct patient care to health care administration -- are covered in this collection. Including hundreds of titles, this collection's current and authoritative content will be of use to both professionals already working in the field as well as students pursuing a nursing-focused curriculum.
Wach this short video on how to use this database:

PubMed/MEDLINE from National Library of Medicine
Index of scholarly medical articles from the National Library of Medicine. PubMed® comprises more than 32 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher websites.
eBooks on Nursing (Ebsco)
Access to eBooks across many Nursing topics, including evidence-based nursing, nursing research, leadership, ethics, pharmacology, and more.

Additional Online Resources

National Library of Medicine
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
World Health Organization (WHO)
National Institute on Minority Health & Health Disparities
NIMHD programs and initiatives provide a leading edge in enhancing the scientific knowledge base and designing interventions to improve health outcomes to reduce and ultimately lead to the elimination of health disparities.
National Center for Health Statistics
National Institute for Nursing Research
Includes current news and research in the nursing field.
HIPPA Privacy Rule for Health Care Providers

Find articles, books, & more!

Type keywords in the Library Search box below to search most of the SKYCTC, KCTCS, and KYVL databases to find articles, books, and other resources.

How to Find Resources in Library Search
A short introduction to searching and saving favorites in Library Search.
Tutorial on How to Use Library Search
For an in-depth tutorial on how to do effective searches in Library Search.

e-Books

First-Year Nurse by Beth Hawkes
Call Number: e-book (use SKYCTC login)
ISBN: 9781510755147
Publication Date: 2020-05-26
A true first year of nursing 101 guide, this book covers topics like managing feedback, working with doctors, working night shift, and recovering from a mistake.
Made Incredibly Easy Series (Ebsco)
Call Number: Access online with KCTCS login
ISBN: 9781496394736
Publication Date: 2016-2019
The books in this series break down challenging clinical concepts and present them in a refreshingly original, engaging style that is easy to understand.
Clinical Skills by Robin Richardson; Joanne Keeling
Call Number: e-book (use SKYCTC login)
ISBN: 9781908625205
Publication Date: 2022-01-31
Covers the essential clinical skills required by nurses.
Calculating Drug Dosages by Sandra Luz Martinez; Maryanne Werner-McCullough; F.A. Davis Company
Call Number: e-book (use SKYCTC login)
ISBN: 9781719641227
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
Color-coded, step-by-step guidance shows you how to accurately calculate drug dosages.

Nursing : Getting Started

Welcome to the Nursing Research Guide