Finding Nursing Evidence 

NLM Directory of Health Organizations

Directory of organizations and other resources in health and biomedicine

Links to Government Health Agencies

The AHRQ is the health services research arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), complementing the biomedical research mission of its sister agency, the National Institutes of Health. It is the home to a number of research centers that specialize in major areas of health care research and is a major source of funding and technical assistance for health services research and research training. It is also a science partner, working with the public and private sectors to build the knowledge base for what works—and does not work—in health and health care and to translate this knowledge into everyday practice and policymaking. (from AHRQ) Listed below are some of the areas of interest for nurses. Others are included in other areas of this document:

• Evidence-based Practice

• Nursing Research

• Evidence based Practice Centers
• Evidence Reports and Technology Assessments

AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange (ex-QualityTools)

A new program designed to support health care professionals in identifying, sharing, and adopting innovations and tools that improve health care quality. The Innovations Exchange web site has a new searchable database of innovation profiles, as well as the majority of the tools previously found on QualityTools. In the coming weeks the remaining tools from the historical QualityTools web site will be transferred to the Innovations Exchange, and we will continue to add new tools on a biweekly schedule. Subscribers to the QualityTools email list will automatically be carried over to the Innovations Exchange distribution list. To manage your subscription, visit http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/contact_us.aspx. Go now to find QualityTools.

U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF)

An independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for clinical preventive services.

CDC Guide to Community Preventive Services

Provides public health decision makers with

• recommendations regarding population-based interventions to promote health and to prevent disease, injury, disability, and premature death, appropriate for use by communities and health care systems
• makes its recommendations based on systematic reviews of topics in three general areas: changing risk behaviors; reducing diseases, injuries and impairments; and addressing environmental and ecosystem challenges.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

NCCAM sponsors and conducts research using scientific methods and advanced technologies to study CAM. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.

• NCCAM Health Information

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

The mission of ODS is to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.