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Asking the right questions is key to gaining the right answers. Nursing is a highly responsible profession, which requires accuracy in solutions, which is why the PICOT format is needed there. The PICOT approach is a suggestion that is acquired from the clinical investigation questions, where P stands for a patient, population, or problem, I for intervention, C for control or comparison, O for objective or outcome, and T for a timeline (Duquesne University, 2020). The PICOT format is a progressive way to gain the best outcome in the medical practice and make treatment more effective by asking the proper questions and gaining the correct answers.
In more detail, a patient, population, or problem stage aims to identify the person or peoples essential characteristics and their health status. Intervention, also called the exposure phase, seeks to understand what exact interventions or procedures are considered. During the comparison or control stage, a nurse wants to understand whether there are any alternative benchmarks or standards for the case and, if there are any, identify and evaluate them. The outcome or objective phase aims to recognize any likelihood of clinical outcome attributable to a specific disease, condition, or injury (Cslub, 2022, para 4). Finally, the last stage is optional and may be included if the research allows it (Cedarville University). It is the time frame phase that intends to identify a timeline.
When a person can identify a problem, describe it clearly and understand it, they are halfway to a solution. This format and approach to medical problems are highly convenient and beneficial for both patient and nurse. Many medical workers claim that it clarifies many issues in their practice, which leads to gaining the best answer and solution (University of Missouri, 2022). Thus, PICOT is a fundamental component of the medical worker practice.
This formula will be beneficial in any medical case and will help gain a clear understanding of a problem and let build a successful plan for further action. PICOT consists of simple questions that enable a medical worker to collect the most relevant data about a patient and get a clear understanding of a case. This will lead to finding an effective solution without any confusion or doubts. Moreover, it is needed when the medical query is vague, and the worker wants to understand precisely their problem and find a solution. A nurse may sometimes change the sequence of the questions or reverse the order if it helps to get a better result (University of Missouri, 2022). However, it is not recommended to try it for not experienced nurses because it may lead to confusion and spoil the result. Thus, the format is fundamental due to its easiness of usage and high effectiveness.
To formulate a PICOT question effectively, a nurse has to do it in general terms. Then, the main words of the acronym have to be identified, and a worker has to build a strategy. According to the question, a person has to consider databases or archives they have to choose from, information that will be helpful, and synonyms and phrases connected to the topic they may use while searching. Firstly, the researcher looks for each element of the formula individually. Then, the result has to be narrowed: exclude all the irrelevant material, and concentrate on one or two types of format of the resources (Duquesne University, 2020). Then the content has to be reviewed, and all the unnecessary information has to be eliminated; the worker has to concentrate on the relevant and appropriate material. Finally, after reviewing everything, a nurse has to determine and compare whether the found data complies with the standard.
After all these steps, the received outcome is monitored, analyzed, and decided which type of study is the most appropriate and relevant. Duquesne University writes study types include meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, cohort study, case-control study, and case report (2020, para 22). Thus, such a format of questions allows a researcher to narrow the scope of material, determine the most proper and suitable information, make the process easier and more effective, and obtain the most credible result.
For instance, the PICOT question may be: Does eating at night increase the chance of obesity in patients who have a predisposition to it over ten years? Where eating at night is I, exposure, the chance of obesity is O, outcome or objective, predisposition is P, problem, and ten years is T, a timeline. Here the sequence of the PICOT format is changed and phase C, comparison, is absent because it is not needed and the following sequence is more effective in this case than the regular one. Another example of the question: In smokers, what is the effect of using e-cigarettes on the lungs compared with non-smokers within five years? Where smokers are P, patients using e-cigarettes is I, intervention, lungs is O, objective, non-smokers are C, comparison, and five years is T, the timeline.
In conclusion, asking the right questions is crucial when a person aims to find an effective solution. The PICOT format of formulating questions is a rational and effective approach to problems that makes the process of achieving the desired outcome faster and more precise. It has to be a must-have in every nurses practice and will make their job easier, allowing them to narrow the scope of material and extract essential information.
References
The PICO research question (2022). Cedarville University. Web.
PICO formula. (2022). Cslub. Web.
Formulating a PICOT question. (2020). Duquesne University. Web.
Evidence based nursing practice. (2022). University of Missouri. Web.
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