Open and search Lotus db with VBA

I have the assignment of opening and retrieving info from a Lotus database using VBA script. I have the following:
Dim db As NotesDatabase
Dim nsession As NotesSession 'As Object
Set nsession = CreateObject("Lotus.NotesSession")
Call nsession.Initialize
Set db = nsession.GetDatabase(serv, app) where 'serv' and 'app' are the defined appropriately.

Its seems to attach to the db OK, but now I need to search a form ('ITAgentLogEntry') and field (ITLog_ConversationText ) in the db then retrieve that info using the following:

Set doccol = db.Search(searchFormula$, Nothing, 0)
collcnt = doccol.Count
For p = 1 To doccol.Count
Set doc = doccol.GetNthDocument(p)
...
...

Currently, I have: searchFormula$ = "'((Form = 'ITAgentLogEntry') & ITLog_ConversationText = 'Sample Logging' )& '" but this is not getting me any results. The Lotus programmer provided me:
searchFormula$ = {((Form = "ITAgentLogEntry") & ITLog_ConversationText != "Sample Logging" )} but of course this is not compatible with VBA.

Can anyone provide assisstance on how to convert the search string to proper VBA syntax?

Thanks in advance for any assistance provide.