PICOT

3-to-4-page paper and PICOT template

Details: Draft three PICOT questions for clinical issues of your interest and submit them for approval.  Download and fill out the PICOT  template  Download  template to submit with this paper.

The PICOT Questions 

This assignment should be 3-4 pages (not including the title or references pages) and shall consist of the following components: 

· Title Page: In APA format

· Introduction: include a summary of the primary intent of your paper

· Problem Statement: Fully describe the primary problem you are addressing as part of your potential EBP Project. Integrate contemporary/scholarly evidence (no more than five years old) to support the need for change.

· Improved PICOT Questions: Focused, searchable, and answerable PICOT questions should include the following:  

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· Population of Interest: Describe your population of interest.

· Intervention of Interest: Describe your intervention of interest.

· Evidence: Evidence from the literature must be present with at least 3 scholarly references to support the evidence-based practice intervention. 

· Comparison of Interest: Describe your comparison of interest.

· Outcome of Interest: Describe your outcome of interest. Is it measurable? Is the tool that you will use to measure outcomes proven reliable and valid?

· Timeframe: Briefly identify the timeframe associated with the implementation phase of your project. 

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· Conclusion: Summarize the key points you made within your paper without introducing any new information in this section. 

· References Page: In APA format

Appendix A

Question Templates for Asking

PICOT Questions

INTRODUCTION

INTERVENTION In (P), how does (I) compared to (C) affect (O) within (T)?

ETIOLOGY Are (P) who have (I) compared to those without (C) at risk for/of (O) over (T)?

DIAGNOSIS OR DIAGNOSTIC TEST In (P), are/is (I) compared to (C) more accurate in diagnosing (O)?

PROGNOSIS/PREDICTION In (For) (P), how does (I) compared to (C) influence (O) during/over (T)?

MEANING How do (P) with (I) perceive (O) during (T)?

SHORT DEFINITIONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUESTIONS

Intervention: Questions addressing the treatment of an illness or disability.

Etiology: Questions that address the causes or origin of disease, the factors that produce or predispose toward a certain disease or disorder.

Diagnosis: Questions addressing the act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation.

Prognosis/Prediction: Questions addressing the prediction of the course of a disease.

Meaning: Questions addressing how one experiences a phenomenon.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Intervention: In older adult patients in acute care facilities (P), how do fall prevention pro- grams with risk assessment (I) compared to fall prevention programs without risk assessment

(C) affect fall rates (O) within one quarter after intervention (T)?

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Appendix A / Question Templates for Asking PICOT Questions

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Etiology: Are 50- to 60-year-old women (P) who have family history of a diagnosis of obesity

(I) compared to those without family history of a diagnosis of obesity (C) at increased risk for increased body mass index (BMI) (O) during the first 3 years after hysterectomy or meno- pause (T)?

Diagnosis: In middle-aged men with suspected myocardial infarction (P), are serial 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) (I) compared to one initial 12-lead ECG (C) more accurate in diag- nosing an acute myocardial infarction (O)?

Prognosis/Prediction: (1) For patients 65 years and older (P), how does receiving the influ- enza vaccine (I) compared to not receiving the vaccine (C) influence the risk of developing pneumonia (O) during fu season (T)?

(2) In patients who have experienced an acute myocardial infarction (P), how does smoking

(I) compared to nonsmoking (C) influence death and infarction rates (O) during the first 5 years after the myocardial infarction (T)?

Meaning: How do parents (P) of toddlers with a new diagnosis of a terminal disease (I) per- ceive their parenting role (O) during the first 3 months after diagnosis (T)?

© Ellen Fineout-Overholt, 2006.