Purpose:To identify a problem or concern that nursing can change and develop a PICOT question to guide the change project

Directions:Use the form below to complete the Week 1 Assignment PICOT Evidence Worksheet. This includes filling in the table with information about your research question and your PICOT elements, and the second part is filling in the evidence worksheet.

Step 1:Select the key PICO terms for searching the evidence. Clearly define your PICOT question. List each element: P (patient, population, or problem), I (intervention), C (comparison with other treatment or current practice), O (desired outcome), and T (time frame).Is the potential solution something for which you (as nurse or student) can find a solution through evidence-based research? Look in your book for guidelines to developing your PICOT question and read the required articles.

Step 2:Identify the problem.What have you noticed in your work or school environment that isn’t achieving the desired patient or learning outcomes? What needs to change in nursing,and what can you change with the support of evidence in the literature? Describe the problem or practice issue you want to research. What is your practice area: clinical, education, or administration? (This is not where you will list your PICOT question.)

Step 3:How was the practice issues identified?How did you come to know this was a problem in your clinical practice? Review the listed concerns and check all that apply.

Step 4: What terms did you use in order to make sure that your search was wide enough to obtain required information but narrow enough to keep it focused?How will you narrow your search if needed?