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NUR 370: Introduction to Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: Asking the Question

A library guide to accompany NUR 370

PICOT

PICOT is an acronym for the most important elements of a good clinical foreground question.  It can also help guide the search strategy by identifying key concepts that need to be in the article to address the question.

What does PICOT stand for?

Elements of a Clinical Question

  • Treatment or Therapy - Selecting treatments to achieve a desired outcome in a patient that balance effectiveness with effort and costs
  • Diagnosis - Identifying and interpreting diagnostic tests to confirm or exclude a diagnosis based on a patient's symptoms
  • Etiology / Harm - Identifying negative impacts or side effects from a particular intervention or other sources
  • Prognosis (Natural History) - Estimating the likely progression of a patient's condition and the likelihood of other complications occurring
  • Prevention - Reducing the chances of progression or further deterioration by identifying and managing risk factors or through preventative screening

Background questions ask for general knowledge or facts that are widely accepted about a condition and is normally addressed by textbooks, encyclopedias, or reviews.  They are used to address basic information and not to make a clinical decision about a specific patient.

Foreground questions seek specific knowledge or evidence to inform clinical decisions.  This evidence is typically found in journals and conference proceedings, and have several components that address a PICOT question.

  Patient/Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Time
Question Coma patients with traumatic brain injuries Direct auditory stimulation (music) Coma patients that receive non-direct auditory stimulation Improved responsiveness on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GSC) Over a 15 minute period