PICOT Worksheet for RN-to-DNP Nursing Students

Students will practice the process of developing a PICOT question, and locate evidence in credible online nursing literature sources. The assignment will prepare custom writing service for the Week 7 assignment to develop a proposed evidence-based nursing (EBP) intervention.
Clearly define your clinical query using the standard PICOT question format. Each element must be defined: P (patient or population), I (intervention), C (comparison) and O (desired outcome). Then, search for the appropriate articles to answer your question.
P (Patient or Population)
As part of their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, Duquesne University RN-to-DNP students are required to conduct a research project. The PICOT question is a critical step in designing the project.
NR 505 Week 2 PICOT Worksheet Assignment
The goal of this assignment is to allow the student to experience the process of identification, development and searching for evidence-based practice (EBP) questions using credible online resources.
To do this, the student will use a PICOT worksheet template to clearly identify a practice concern/problem and construct an answerable, researchable NR 501 Week 2 Reflective Essay question.
In this case, the question is: Can implementation of recreational activities reduce the inherent risk of diabetes in overweight children? This question would need a comparison of current treatment, an alternative solution and the desired outcome. A clear PICOT question will help determine what type of study is needed. Examples include meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, cohort study, case-control study and others. The research method chosen will influence the size of the sample, how detailed the search needs to be and the results to be obtained.
I (Intervention)
The I in a PICOT question describes the proposed intervention or solution to the practice problem. The goal is to find evidence that supports the efficacy of this intervention. Nurses can make comparisons within their search for this evidence or with the current standard of care.
For example, a PICOT question might include the elements: P (patient or population), I (proposed intervention) C (comparison of the proposed intervention with other treatment or current practice) O (desired outcome) and T (time frame). Clearly defining these Assignment Reading Research Literature (RRL) Worksheet makes the task of searching for the appropriate evidence easier.
Developing an answerable PICOT question is an essential skill for evidence-based practice for nurses and other health care professionals. Whether in advanced nursing school or professional clinical settings, nurses use PICOT questions as the starting point for their research queries. This assignment provides a learning activity to identify an independent practice issue, develop a PICOT clinical question and then locate evidence using credible online databases/sources.
C (Comparison)
Whether finishing advanced studies in nursing school or working in professional clinical settings, registered nurses (RNs) begin research queries with an understanding that an answer can be found by conducting an evidence-based practice (EBP) or quality improvement (QI) search. Developing a clearly defined question using the PICOT process helps develop a focused search and a well-constructed research study.
EBSCO Health points out that a well-designed PICOT research question will also help identify what type of study design to use to conduct the search. A NR 505 Week 2 PICOT Worksheet Assignment controlled trial (RCT) is the gold standard for clinical research; however, this study design is typically costly, time consuming and may not be feasible to perform on every clinical question of interest. Other more targeted study designs like systematic reviews and N-of-1 RCTs can also be used depending on the question at hand.
O (Outcome)
Across the healthcare industry, registered nurses (RNs) use evidence-based practice (EBP) to shape and direct their clinical work to improve patient outcomes and organizational efficiency. One central methodology within EBP models involves reviewing and critiqueing scholarly sources to identify and appraise the quality of research findings.
Using the PICOT question format, RNs construct a focused research query that guides their pursuit of relevant scholarly literature. Whether preparing for advanced nursing education as an RN seeking a doctor of nurse practice degree or conducting research in a professional clinical setting, developing an answerable PICOT question is the first step to achieving an effective research endeavor.
In the NR 505 Week 2 PICOT Worksheet Assignment, learners are challenged to identify an area or phenomenon of interest and nursing concern/problem related to their MSN specialty track. Each element of the PICOT statement – population impacted, intervention, comparison, and outcome – serves as the basis for developing a searchable PICOT question.