Tips for Building a PICO(T) Question

by Posted on

Tips for Building a PICO(T) Question

PICO(T) Elements How to Identify Each PICOT Element
P

Patient/Population/Problem

 Who is your patient or population?

Consider the following:

  • Age group
  • Gender
  • Race
  • Healthcare setting

What is your patient/population’s problem?

Consider the following:

  • Condition or illness
  • Disease process
  • Diagnosis
  • Life situation
  • Nursing diagnosis
  • Symptoms
  • Self-care deficits
I

Intervention/Variable of Interest

 What intervention can you as a nurse implement for your patient/population? 

Consider the following:

  • Nursing interventions
  • Therapies
  • Alternative/complementary/holistic therapies
  • Medication administration/management
  • Pharmacologic interventions
  • Non-pharmacologic interventions
  • Procedures
  • Patient education techniques
C

Comparison

 For NURS 3290, your C (Comparison) will be standard care or usual care 
O

Outcome(s)

 What is the desired outcome or optimal effect of the intervention?

Consider the following:

  • Improvement of [fill in the blank]
  • Prevention/prophylaxis of [fill in the blank]
  • Reduction in [fill in the blank]
  • Decreased rate of [fill in the blank]
  • Patient outcomes
  • Quality of life
  • Patient safety
  • Satisfaction
  • Knowledge
T

Time

 How long would it take to reach a desired outcome? Or, what is the time frame of your patient scenario?

Consider the following:

  • Within [fill in the blank] weeks/months/year(s)
  • Preoperative/perioperative/postoperative period
  • Hospital length of stay
  • Patient’s lifespan
  • Patient’s treatment duration
  • Recovery period
  • These are only examples. The timeframe can be very specific or very broad

Published by laura