Using PMCIDs to Find Articles
A basic PubMed search starts from here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Consider a search for a topic such as palliative care (end-of-life) nursing. A basic search for such a broad category produces nearly 19,500 entries, but you can quickly see what articles are freely available for users to download (see red boxes).
If we take a look at the third article shown here - Compassion Fatigue in Palliative Care Nursing: A Concept Analysis - there is an important identifier number listed: a PubMed Central identification number (PMCID). These unique numbers are the users cue that this article is freely stored in the PubMed's free digital archive.
When a PubMed record is clicked, the site gives two easy access points to download the article (see red boxes below). The first is on the right side of the page where the FREE full text symbol is shown. The second is the direct link to the PMCID number, typically found on the left side of the page. In this case, clicking on either will lead the reader to the place where the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing stores this article.
