Evaluating the nursing practice environment and identifying nursing problems are essential steps in the evidence-based practice (EBP) process. Once a nursing problem is discovered, it is necessary to develop a clinical guiding question known as a PICOT question. The PICOT question should be relevant to the identified nursing practice problem. In this assignment, the objective is to create a PICOT question and find six supporting peer-reviewed research articles.
To start, let us understand what a PICOT question is. PICOT stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Time. It is a framework used to formulate research questions in the healthcare field, especially in EBP. The components of a PICOT question include:
1. Population: The specific group of individuals or patients targeted by the research question.
2. Intervention: The treatment, practice, or action being considered for the population.
3. Comparison: The alternative or control group for comparison.
4. Outcome: The measurable result or effect of the intervention.
5. Time: The specific time frame considered for the outcome.
Using the PICOT framework, we can create a research question that focuses on a nursing practice problem. Let’s say the nursing practice problem identified is the high incidence of pressure ulcers in elderly patients. Based on this problem, a possible PICOT question can be formulated as follows:
In elderly patients residing in long-term care facilities (P), does the implementation of a comprehensive pressure ulcer prevention protocol (I), compared to standard preventive measures (C), result in a decrease in the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers (O), within a 6-month period (T)?
Now that we have formulated our PICOT question, the next step is to find six supporting peer-reviewed research articles. It is important to note that we should avoid including systematic reviews, literature reviews, and meta-analysis articles as they are not considered primary research articles. Instead, we should focus on finding primary research studies that provide detailed descriptions of data collection methods. These studies can include both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
To conduct a comprehensive search for relevant articles, we need to use appropriate search terms that narrow or broaden our main topic. For example, instead of using generic terms like “pressure ulcers,” we can use more specific terms like “elderly patients,” “long-term care facilities,” and “pressure ulcer prevention protocol.” By combining these keywords, we can refine our search and obtain more relevant results.
After conducting the search, we should review the abstract and methods section of each article to determine the research design used and ensure it aligns with our requirements. Once we have identified six suitable articles, we can use the “Literature Evaluation Table” provided in the assignment to record essential information about each article, such as the title, author, study design, sample size, data collection methods, and key findings.
In conclusion, this assignment requires us to create a PICOT question related to a nursing practice problem and find six supporting peer-reviewed research articles. The PICOT question should follow the components of the framework, namely population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time. When searching for articles, it is crucial to use appropriate search terms and select primary research studies that align with our criteria. The completed “Literature Evaluation Table” will assist in organizing and documenting information about the chosen articles.
