In the nursing and clinical field, a student will likely encounter or be asked to develop PICOT questions. This article will provide PICOT question examples to help you understand the concept. Nonetheless, most students have multiple difficulties with this aspect. Therefore, they tend to seek a homework writing service to help them with this task.
Despite the numerous do my homework services online, the fact is that students can still not find reasonable homework solutions on how to develop and answer PICOT questions. It leaves most students asking themselves, ‘what is a Picot question, and why does it matter?’
What does Picot Stand for in Nursing?
In addition to asking for the definition of picot question and the PICOT question format, most people also ask, ‘what is a Picot question in nursing?’ Well, a PICOT question refers to a specific formula that has been identified to help nursing students in answering comprehensive and researchable questions. Since most students do not take their time to analyze what a Picot question entails, they often find themselves having difficulties in answering the research questions. Therefore, if you want to nail your nursing research questions, you first have to come up with the perfect Picot questions.
Brilliant Picot questions will make the process of answering the issues much more straightforward. Additionally, they will make you attain the clinical evidence you need even more quickly. Having understood what a Picot question means, leads us to the next aspect of this ‘formula’ which is what PICOT stands for. Well, PICOT is an abbreviation, and its meaning answers the question, ‘What does Picot stand for in evidence-based practice?’ It stands for:
P: Population or the patient
It could be the gender, age, ethnicity, or persons with a particular condition or disorder
I: Intervention or the indicator(Variable of Interest)
It stands for the risk behavior, the exposure to an infection, or a prognostic factor
C: Comparison or the control
This refers to an individual that has zero traces of the disease in question or does not have the risk factor, or Prognostic factor B
O: Outcome
This refers to the results, which could be the risk of the infection or condition, the accuracy level of a diagnosis, or the rate of occurrence of an adverse outcome
T: Time
This is the overall time the participants have been observed or the period it has taken to attain the outcome
Types of PICOT Questions
There are five Picot question types. They include:
1. Intervention or the issue of interest
These types of questions are formatted to help in determining what treatment has the best outcome. These types of questions can be phrased as follows:
In a group of men highly vulnerable to falls (P), how does hourly rounding (I) compared with rounding every 6 hours (C) affects the number of new falls (O)?
This is among the perfect PICOT question examples for falls.
2. The Prognosis or the Prediction
These questions are used in determining the possible complications that arise from a particular condition or the clinical course over a specific time frame. An example of an intervention PICOT questions is as follows:
In a family of six where there is a history of cardiovascular disease (P), how does the decision of participating in a nutrition program (I) in comparison to a choice of not participating in the program (C) impact the healthy food consumption trend (O) within eight months (T)?
3. Diagnosis or Diagnostic Test
These questions are different from those of the intervention or the prognosis. They are developed to help in determining which test is more reliable and accurate in the diagnosis of a particular disease. For instance, in a group of adults that are believed to have type 2 diabetes (P), is the A1C (I) compared with the fasting plasma glucose (C) more accurate in diagnosing type 2 diabetes (O)?
4. Etiology
These questions are used in determining the most significant causes or risk factors of a particular disease or condition. One example of a problem targeting the etiology aspect is as shown below: Are kids (P) with sedentary lifestyles (I) compared with those without such lifestyles (C) at a higher risk of being obese (O) over eight months (T)?
5. Meaning
These questions are developed to help the researcher or investigator in gaining more insight into the importance of experience to either one person, a group, or a broader community. One example of such a question is as shown:
How do ladies (P) who have been tested positive for high blood pressure (I) view their ability to function (O) when in an environment that triggers them (T)?
Nursing PICOT Question Examples
Suppose your instructor or professor asked you to develop PICOT question examples emergency nursing field or in another scenario. Would you know how to go about it, or would you instead decide between buying essays online safe and quick? Here are some nursing Picot question ideas that can give you an idea of how to phrase the questions:
PICOT question example 1
Does the bariatric adolescent patient going through gastric bypass have a better chance of continuity of care perioperatively and postoperatively when the nurse is a primary member of the multidisciplinary team compared to if the nurse is a secondary member whose only task is to provide perioperative care and has no specialized training?
Population: The bariatric adolescents who are taking or planning on undergoing gastric bypass surgery.
Intervention: The role of the nurse as a primary member of the multidisciplinary team regarding perioperative care of the bariatric adolescent patient.
Comparison: The role of the nurse as a secondary member of the multidisciplinary team has no specialized training and is only involved in the perioperative care of the bariatric adolescent patient.
Outcome: When the nurse is involved as one of the primary members in the multidisciplinary team approach, the bariatric adolescent patient has better continuity of care.
Time:Perioperative, including the six weeks post-recovery.
PICOT question example 2
In admitted patients, does turning the patient contrasted with weight beddings diminish the danger of weight ulcers faster within four months?
Population: admitted patients
Intervention: turning the patient
Control: weight beddings
Outcome: diminish the danger of weight ulcers
Time: 4 months
PICOT question example 3
In ventilated patients, is the head-of-bed height of 45 degrees contrasted with 20 degrees more effective in decreasing the frequency of ventilated related pneumonia within eight months?
Population: ventilated patients
Intervention: the head-of-bed height of 45 degrees
Control: 20 degrees
Outcome: decrease in the frequency of ventilated related pneumonia
Time: 8 months
PICOT question example 4
In hospitalized children, is the Wong-Baker Pain FACES Rating Scale contrasted with the Child Medical Fear Scale more accurate in assessing the kid’s dimension of torment in 6 months?
Population: Hospitalized children
Intervention:The Wong-Baker Pain FACES Rating Scale
Control: The Child Medical Fear Scale
Outcome:The kid’s dimension of torment
Time: 6 months
PICOT question example 5
For patients 65 years and older, how does the use of an influenza vaccine compared to those who have not received the vaccine influence the risk of developing pneumonia during flu season?
Population: patients who are 65 years and older
Intervention: influenza vaccine
Control: non-vaccinated patients who are 65 years and older
Outcome: developing pneumonia
Time: flu season
PICOT question example 6
What is the recovery period for patients with the total hip replacement who developed a post-operative infection as opposed to those who did not get it within the first six weeks of recovery?
Population: patients with total hip replacement
Intervention: development of a post-operative infection
Control: patients without total hip replacement
Outcome: duration of recovery
Time: first six weeks of recovery
All these PICOT questions range in various topics. One of the issues that students often have a problem in developing PICOT questions is the prevention of ulcers. To help you create the perfect PICOT questions for preventing ulcers here is an example of a PICOT question preventing pressure ulcers:
What is the effect of enzymatic debridement of non-viable tissue compared with sharp debridement on the rate of healing of pressure ulcers in adults within one year?
Patient: Adults
Intervention:enzymatic debridement of non-viable tissue
Control: sharp debridement
Outcome: rate of healing of pressure ulcers
Time: One year
Example of a PICO question on the same topic:
Would the implementation of an evidence-based checklist better prevent the progression of pressure ulcers in adult Med-Surg patients?
Patient: Adult Med-Surg patients
Intervention:Pressure ulcer treatment checklist
Control: Traditional Management
Outcome: Decrease in the amount of pressure ulcer development or progression
PICOT Question Examples
If you have been asked to develop a PICOT question in the nutrition field, then here are nursing PICOT question examples of how you should structure your statement:
How effective is the consumption of low glycemic index foods for reducing energy intake and promoting weight loss in adults in 13 months?
Patient: Adults
Intervention: consumption of low glycemic index foods
Control: There is no comparison
Outcome: reduction of the energy intake and promotion of weight loss
Time: 13 months
How effective is acupuncture in improving mobility in elderly male stroke patients in comparison to standard stroke therapy within two years?
Patient: elderly male stroke patients
Intervention: acupuncture
Control: standard stroke therapy
Outcome: improvement of mobility in elderly male stroke patients
Time: 2 years
Types of PICO Questions?
There are several types of PICO questions. They include:
- The therapy or intervention questions that are used in determining the best intervention that can lead to the best outcome.
- Etiology questions help in identifying the root causes or the risk factors of a condition.
- The diagnosis questions help in identifying the most accurate and precise diagnosis methods for a specific condition.
- The outcome questions help in determining the results of a specific intervention.
Here are some examples of PICO questions and a list of pediatric PICO questions:
PICO Question 1
In adult patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus, is consuming turmeric tea more effective than Plaquenil at reducing joint pain?
Patient: patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus
Intervention: turmeric tea
Control: Plaquenil (standard drug therapy)
Outcome: reduction of joint pain
PICO Question 2
Is the d‐dimer assay more accurate at ruling out deep vein thrombosis compared to ultrasound?
Population: adults
Intervention: d-dimer assay
Control: ultrasound
Outcome: more accurate diagnosis of DVT
PICO Question 3
Among young children with an acute asthma exacerbation, is a single dose of intramuscular dexamethasone comparable to 5 days of oral prednisolone for the resolution of asthma symptoms?
Patient: young children with an acute asthma exacerbation
Intervention: a single dose of intramuscular dexamethasone
Control: 5 days of oral prednisolone
Outcome: the resolution of asthma symptoms
PICO Question 4
Systemic steroids, such as prednisone, slow bone growth. Children with chronic asthma are often prescribed inhaled steroids or corticosteroids. Do these drugs have any impact on growth before adolescence?
Population: preadolescents with asthma
Intervention: inhaled corticosteroids
Control: treatment without corticosteroids
Outcome: growth at a predicted rate
PICO Question 5
In preadolescents with asthma, will inhaled corticosteroids suppress average growth (as compared to treatment without corticosteroids)?
Patient: preadolescents with asthma
Intervention: inhaled corticosteroids
Control: treatment without corticosteroids
Outcome: suppression of average growth
PICO Question 6
In middle-aged men with suspected myocardial infarction, are serial 12-lead ECGs compared with one initial 12-lead ECG more accurate in diagnosing an acute myocardial infarction?
Patient: middle-aged men with suspected myocardial infarction
Intervention: serial 12-lead ECGs
Control: one initial 12-lead ECG
Outcome: diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction
The bottom line is that it is very straightforward to develop either the PICO or the PICOT questions. This accurate and step-by-step guide will give you insight into how to develop and also answer them. If you need help developing a PICOT question, place your order now.