Find Your Sources - CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant & PCA - Patient Care Assistant

Find Sources for Class Assignments

Recognize the Difference Between Google & Library Search Tools

Almost everyone has used Google (or another search engine) to find information. However, academic research requires going beyond Google and using library search tools to find credible sources. On Google, or other open web search engines, anyone can write and publish whatever they want. The library's research tools ensure the resources you find are good quality and reliable. Your instructors will expect you to provide quality resources beyond Google. NWACC Library search tools are carefully chosen by librarians to make sure they support scholarly research.

Google has taught us all 3 misconceptions that work against us when doing library research.

1. Ask a question; get an answer.

2. Click on the top results (and maybe only the top result).

3. Everything is a website.

Unfortunately, library research is a little more messy, but it can be learned!

Keywords not questions.

Filter, limit, and refine results.

Source types matter.

Library Search Tools

Try these library databases to find credible, current nursing assistant information.

Health & Medicine (Gale OneFile)
Search your topic to find consumer health and clinical information.
Nursing & Allied Health Database
Offers reliable, comprehensive coverage of the fields of nursing and allied health including journals, video, dissertations, reference books and more. *This is a Traveler resource. The Traveler Statewide Resource project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
CINAHL Ultimate
UPGRADED from the “Complete” to the “Ultimate” package as of July 2025! This is the definitive research tool for nursing and allied health research, offering extensive full-text journal articles across over 50 nursing specialties, along with valuable resources such as quick lessons, evidence-based care sheets, and instructional videos. It's an essential resource for students and professionals seeking comprehensive and reliable healthcare information.
PubMed Central (Open Access Subset)
PubMed Central® (PMC) is a free full-text archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM). PubMed is a free resource that is developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Google Scholar

You may be blocked by paywalls when using Google Scholar. caution symbol of a white exclamation point inside a black triangle

Contact the library for help getting the article at no cost to you.

Google Scholar

Find information for patient education

Consumer Health Database
Includes journals and magazines covering an enormous range of health subjects, from sports injuries to women's health, from food and nutrition to midwifery, from eye care to dentistry. *This is a Traveler resource. The Traveler Statewide Resource project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Health & Wellness (Gale)
Health & Wellness Resource Center is a comprehensive resource for libraries, schools, and hospitals that provides integrated access to medical, statistical, health, and related information. The database delivers up-to-date reference material as well as full-text magazines, journals, and pamphlets from a wide variety of authoritative medical sources.