LibGuides: Mental Health Nursing: PICO

Begin your research with your PICO(T) Question in mind.

PICO(T) is a mnemonic used to describe the elements of a good clinical question. It helps you think specifically about different aspects of what you want to research or investigate.

Picot
Patient population/disease	For example: age, gender, ethnicity, with a certain disorder
Intervention or issue of interest	For example: therapy, exposure to disease, prognostic for factor A, risk behavior
Comparison intervention or issue of interest	For example: alternative therapy, placebo, no intervention/therapy, no disease, prognostic factor B, absence of risk factor
Outcome	For example: outcome expected from therapy, risk of disease, accuracy of diagnosis, rate of occurrence of adverse outcome
Time	For example: the time it takes for the intervention to achieve the outcome, time over which populations are observed for the outcome to occur, given the certain condition

Templates for asking PICOT Questions

INTERVENTION
In____________________(P),how does____________________(I)compared to____________________(C)affect _____________________(O) within ___________(T)?

THERAPY
In__________________(P),what is the effect of__________________(I)compared to_____________(C)on________________(O) within_____________(T)?

PROGNOSIS/PREDICTION
In______________(P), how does___________________(I) compared to_____________(C) influence __________________(O) over_______________(T)?

DIAGNOSIS OR DIAGNOSTIC TEST
In___________________(P) are/is____________________(I) compared with_______________________(C) more accurate in diagnosing_________________(O)?

ETIOLOGY
Are____________________(P), who have____________________(I) compared with those without ____________________(C) at____________ risk for/of ____________________(O) over________________(T)?

MEANING
How do_______________________(P ) with_______________________(I) perceive_______________________(O) during ________________(T)?

Source:

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2015). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Templates for asking PICOT Questions

Mental Health Nursing: PICO

Begin your research with your PICO(T) Question in mind.

PICO(T) is a mnemonic used to describe the elements of a good clinical question. It helps you think specifically about different aspects of what you want to research or investigate.

Picot

Patient population/disease

For example: age, gender, ethnicity, with a certain disorder

Intervention or issue of interest

For example: therapy, exposure to disease, prognostic for factor A, risk behavior

Comparison intervention or issue of interest

For example: alternative therapy, placebo, no intervention/therapy, no disease, prognostic factor B, absence of risk factor

Outcome

For example: outcome expected from therapy, risk of disease, accuracy of diagnosis, rate of occurrence of adverse outcome

Time

For example: the time it takes for the intervention to achieve the outcome, time over which populations are observed for the outcome to occur, given the certain condition

Templates for asking PICOT Questions

Source:

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2015). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.