You can use a proximity search to search for two or more words that occur within a specified number of words (or fewer) of each other in the databases. Proximity searching is used with a keyword or Boolean search.
In Ebsco databases such as CINAHL, the proximity operators are composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words). The proximity operator is placed between the words that are to be searched, as follows:
| N |
Near Operator (N) - N5 finds the words if they are within five words of one another regardless of the order in which they appear. |
For example, type pain N5 relief to find results that would match pain relief as well as relief of pain. |
| W |
Within Operator (W) - In the following example, W8 finds the words if they are within eight words of one another and in the order in which you entered them. |
For example, type blood W8 glucose level to find results that would match blood glucose level but would not match glucose level in the blood. |
