Using the Walden Library

As an aspiring nurse practitioner focusing on underserved populations, I was particularly interested in examining the role of community health workers (CHWs) in improving health equity and chronic disease management. Through the Walden Library, I used the MEDLINE with Full Text database to locate a peer-reviewed article that aligns closely with my area of practice.

Article Citation:

Knowles, M., Crowley, A. P., Vasan, A., & Kangovi, S. (2023). Community health worker integration with and effectiveness in health care and public health in the United States. Annual Review of Public Health, 44(1), 363–381. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-071521-031648Links to an external site.

This article provides a comprehensive review of the history, effectiveness, and growing integration of CHWs in U.S. health care systems. It highlights how CHWs improve chronic disease outcomes, increase access to preventive services, reduce costs, and promote health equity by addressing social determinants of health.

Database Used:

I found this article using the MEDLINE with Full Text database available through the Walden Library (Walden University Library, n.d.-a). The advanced search tools and subject filters in MEDLINE were particularly useful in narrowing results to peer-reviewed articles published within the last five years.

Search Experience:

Initially, my search returned hundreds of unrelated articles. However, by using Boolean operators and specific keywords such as “community health workers” AND “chronic disease” AND “health equity”, I was able to focus my search effectively. I also consulted Walden's instructional materials on library search strategies, which helped me refine my Boolean logic and apply filters appropriately (Walden University Library, n.d.-c).

Usefulness and Recommendation:

Yes, I would highly recommend MEDLINE with Full Text to my colleagues. It offers a broad range of peer-reviewed nursing and public health research, which supports evidence-based practice and academic scholarship. It aligns with scholarly writing standards and supports the development of literature synthesis skills necessary for graduate-level research (Shellenbarger, 2016; Walden University Writing Center, n.d.-b).

Conclusion:

Access to peer-reviewed databases like MEDLINE is critical for nurses seeking to base clinical decisions on reliable evidence. Using these databases enhances academic writing, supports professional growth, and ultimately improves patient care outcomes (Al-Jundi & Sakka, 2017; Walden University Writing Center, n.d.-a).

References

Al-Jundi, A., & Sakka, S. (2017). Critical appraisal of clinical research. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR, 11(5), JE01–JE05. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2017/26047.9942Links to an external site.

Knowles, M., Crowley, A. P., Vasan, A., & Kangovi, S. (2023). Community health worker integration with and effectiveness in health care and public health in the United States. Annual Review of Public Health, 44(1), 363–381. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-071521-031648Links to an external site.

Shellenbarger, T. (2016). Simplifying synthesis. Nurse Author & Editor, 26(3). http://naepub.com/reporting-research/2016-26-3-3/Links to an external site.

Walden University Library. (n.d.-a). Databases A-Z: Nursing. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/az.php?s=19981Links to an external site.

Walden University Library. (n.d.-c). Instructional media: Fundamentals of library research. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/instructionalmedia/researchfundamentalsLinks to an external site.

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.-a). Scholarly writing: Overview. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyLinks to an external site.

Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.-b). Common assignments: Synthesizing your sources. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/literaturereview/synthesizing