Table 2 Clinical pathway search strategy Ovid Medline: 1966 to November Week 2 2006

1.

Critical Pathways/

2.

(clinical path$ or critical path$ or care path$ or care map$).tw.

3.

exp Guidelines/

4.

Health Planning Guidelines/

5.

Guideline Adherence/

6.

(guideline? adj2 introduc$ or issu$ or impact or effect? or disseminat$ or distribut$)).tw.

7.

nursing protocol$.tw.

8.

(professional standard$ or professional protocol or professional care map).tw.

9.

(practice guidelin$ or practice protocol$ or clinical practice guideline$).tw.

10.

guideline.pt.

11.

or/1–10

12.

exp Hospitalization/

13.

(in-patient or hospitalized or hospitalised or hospitalisation or hospitalization).tw.

14.

exp Outpatient Clinics, Hospital/

15.

in-hospital.tw.

16.

exp Hospital Units/

17.

(Patient Admission or patient readmission or patient readmission or discharge).tw.

18.

or/12–17

19.

11 and 18

20.

randomized controlled trial.pt.

21.

controlled clinical trial.pt.

22.

intervention studies/

23.

experiment$.tw.

24.

pre test or pretest or (posttest or post test)).tw.

25.

random allocation/

26.

or/20–25

27.

18 and 26