Library Services: Library & Knowledge Services: Updating a Policy

Evaluate what you find

Evaluating your sources with the CRAAP Test
Critically appraising your resources before using them is an essential step in the evidence-based practice process. Just because something is published in a peer reviewed journal or on a reputable association website does not mean that the content does not have to be vetted for currency, accuracy and relevance. The CRAAP test stands for: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose - all things you need to consider before using the information you find. Use this worksheet to appraise what you find.

Critical Appraisal for Health Professionals: An Introduction
This online tutorial provided by the University of Exeter covers the importance of critical appraisal and using checklists to appraise different study types.

Steps in updating a policy:

Refer to the C+W Document Development Process for guidance.
Check PHSA SHOP for any similar recently updated documents.
Use Elsevier Clinical Skills for step-by-step descriptions of point of care skills and procedures.
Search the literature for current research using the policy to be updated as a guide:
- Use the references on the original policy as a starting point.
- Start by searching for reviews on your topic in CINAHL or PubMed: systematic reviews, literature reviews, etc. For evidence syntheses, try JBI: Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database.
- Try a grey literature search for similar clinical guidance: protocols, policies, pathways, evidence bundles in the Trip Database. These will not be indexed in a research database.
Need more help? Request a Literature Search by the clinical librarian.

Searching for Clinical Practice Guidelines

Research Databases:

Trip (limit search to Guidelines under "Evidence Type" on right-hand side)

PubMed (add "practice guideline"[pt] to limit search to the guideline publication type. Eg. autism AND "practice guideline"[pt])

Guideline-specific Databases *please note: this is not an exhaustive list

Canadian Paediatric Society Position Statements and Practice Points

RNAO Guidelines (Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario)

Canada's Drug Agency

ECRI Guidelines Trust *note: free membership is required to access.

Guidelines International Network (G-I-N)

National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE)

Best Evidence Statements and Care Guidelines (BESt)

EPC Evidence-Based Practice Reports (AHRQ)

Looking for C+W or PHSA Policies?

C+W SHOP This link opens in a new window
All clinical support documents for BC Children's Hospital & BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre are now housed on the Shared Health Organizations Platform (SHOP).
SHOP This link opens in a new window
SHOP is the central access point for policies and decision support tools- such as guidelines, clinical procedures, protocols and standards - for Providence Health Care, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).

Contact Us

The Study & Learning Commons (4^th floor SHY) is open. Access to the space 24/7 with PHSA ID card. More information on the POD page.

Librarian services are available; please email ClinicalLibrary@cw.bc.ca for assistance.

Ask a Librarian:
ClinicalLibrary@cw.bc.ca

Study & Learning Commons
F4, Shaughnessy Building
4480 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC

BC Children's & BC Women's are programs of British Columbia's Provincial Health Services Authority. Library & Knowledge Services are provided through C&W Learning & Development, part of the Practice & Learning portfolio at BC Children's & BC Women's. Learning & Development is here to provide you and your team with education and professional development resources to enable excellent patient care and to support your life-long learning. We are located within the unceded, occupied, traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and səlilil̓w̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) where these guides were conceptualized and created.