NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet – Step-by-Step Guide With Example Solution
The first step before starting to write the NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet is to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment.
It is also important to identify the paper’s audience and purpose, as this will help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, review its use, including writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review the formatting requirements for the title page and headings in the paper, as outlined by Chamberlain University.
How to Research and Prepare for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify a list of keywords related to your topic using various combinations. The first step is to visit the Chamberlain University library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from the Chamberlain University Library, PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last 5 years and go through each to check for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, such as APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list.
You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next, create a detailed outline of the paper to help you develop headings and subheadings for the content. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.
How to Write the Introduction for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part, as it helps provide the context of your work and determines whether the reader will be interested in reading through to the end. Begin with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.
How to Write the Body for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence collected from the research, and ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance, as well as how it relates to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between paragraphs by using transition words and a flow of ideas.
How to Write the In-text Citations for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
In-text citations help readers give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their work. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:
“The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Morelli et al. (2024), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Alawiye (2024) highlights that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.”
How to Write the Conclusion for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restating your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. Conclude with a call to action that leaves a lasting impression on the reader or offers recommendations.
How to Format the Reference List for NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet
The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically, and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication.
Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:
References
Morelli, S., Daniele, C., D’Avenio, G., Grigioni, M., & Giansanti, D. (2024). Optimizing telehealth: Leveraging Key Performance Indicators for enhanced telehealth and digital healthcare outcomes (Telemechron Study). Healthcare, 12(13), 1319. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12131319
Alawiye, T. (2024). The impact of digital technology on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks, 13, 13-22. 10.4236/etsn.2024.132002.
NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet Instructions
PICOT Worksheet
Include the following sections (detailed criteria listed below and in the grading rubric). Have a look at NR585NP Week 3 Collaboration Cafe: Quantitative Scholarly Literature.
- Practice Problem
- Using the practice problem identified in the Week 1 discussion, summarize your practice problem in 2-3 sentences.
- Explain why the issue/concern is important to nurse practitioner practice.
- Provide at least one in-text citation from a scholarly source.
- PICOT Components: Discuss each of the following PICOT components in one or two sentences:
- P-Population: What is the nursing practice concern or problem, and whom does it affect? Be specific and narrow down your population. The population should be client-focused.
- I–Intervention: What evidence-based solution for the problem would you like to apply?
- C–Comparison: What is another solution for the problem? This is typically the current practice, an alternative solution, or no intervention.
- O–Outcome: How will you know the intervention worked? How you will measure the outcome? The outcome must be measurable from a baseline.
- T–Timeframe: What is the timeframe or the target completion date?
- Practice Question: Write a PICOT question using standard formatting: In _____ (P), how does _____ (I) compared to _____ (C) affect _____ (O) within _____ (T)?
- P-Population
- I-Intervention
- C-Comparison
- O-Outcome
- T-Timeframe
- Standard PICOT format used
- Keywords: Identify keywords for each component of the PICOT question that could be used to support a literature search. Please use Appendix B from Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2023) for further guidance.
- P =
- I =
- C =
- O =
- T =
NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet Example
NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet Template
Name:
General Instructions
- Complete the PICOT Worksheet Template below using the scenario provided in the Week 1 announcements. Use of this template is required. If the template is not used, a 10% deduction will be applied. See the rubric. Save the template and include your name in the file name.
- Follow APA grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation rules consistent with formal, scholarly writing.
- Provide an in-text citation from three scholarly sources to support your writing.
- Abide by Chamberlain University’s academic integrity policy.
- Practice Problem
1. Using the practice problem identified in the Week 1 discussion, summarize your practice problem in 2-3 sentences.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are some of the most critical problems that modern healthcare systems are struggling with. These obstacles, acquired by patients during the process of being treated for other medical or surgical conditions, still represent a threat to patients’ safety, expense the healthcare system, and prolong hospitalization. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 31 patients out of 100 hospitalized patients in the United States develop at least one HAI every day (CDC, 2020). It is even worse in acute care settings where the patients, especially adults and older adults, tend to be more vulnerable through weakened immune systems, comorbidities, and frequent exposure to invasive procedures such as catheter insertions and surgical interventions.
The failure of medical workers to observe proper hand hygiene is among the most important and preventable causes of HAIs. In spite of decades of research and large-scale awareness campaigns, worldwide compliance with hand hygiene guidelines is suboptimal. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists hand hygiene as the most important measure to limit infection transmission in health institutions (WHO, 2022). Time constraints, understaffing, skin irritation from excessive hand washing, and lack of accountability are some of the barriers that usually lead to lapses. Research has revealed that as compliance with hand hygiene increased, so did a decline in HAIs (Wang et al., 2021). It is, therefore, evident that there exists a significant correlation between the two.
The cost of HAIs in terms of finances increases the importance of combating this issue. The CDC estimates that HAIs add billions of dollars to the healthcare system in the U.S. in the form of additional treatment costs, poor performance penalties, and increased readmission rates (CDC, 2020). Higher HAI rates can also damage the hospitals’ reputation and have a negative effect on public trust and reimbursement rates. Therefore, preventing these infections with easier, though effective interventions such as hand hygiene have a lot of cost-saving and systemic benefits.
2. Explain why the issue/concern is important to nurse practitioner practice. Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
Prevention of HAIs through hand hygiene is one of the basic practices of clinical practice, especially for nurse practitioners (NPs) who are both direct caretakers and clinical experts. NPs tend to play a leading role in patient interactions in acute care environments and have particular roles to play in influencing the infection prevention process as a result of their advanced training, position as the authority figures on making clinical decisions, and close association with interdisciplinary teams.
It can be described as one of the most efficient and cheap ways to limit the spread of pathogenesis among healthcare facilities; proper hand hygiene is one of the measures. When NPs follow and advocate for evidence-based hand hygiene procedures (such as those from the World Health Organization [WHO]) – they are directly shaping a decline in the incidence rate of HAIs such as bloodstream infections, surgical-site infections, and pneumonia. These steps not only help to protect those considered to be vulnerable (e.g., older adults and immunocompromised patients) but also contribute to better general health outcomes and patients’ satisfaction (Haque et al., 2018).
Besides their clinical tasks, NPs play a central role in pursuing quality improvements. They can conduct hand hygiene compliance checks, conduct targeted education programs, and guide the development of infection control policies. By being role models of best practices and working in data-driven decision-making, NPs foster a quality culture of safety and accountability in healthcare organizations (Price et al., 2022).
- PICOT Elements – Discuss each of the following PICOT elements in one or two sentences:
P-Population – What is the nursing practice concern or problem and whom does it affect? Be specific and narrow down your population. The population should be client-focused. Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
The population under consideration consists of adult and older adult patients in acute care hospitalization. This group is also at the increased risk of acquiring HAIs following changes in physiology of aging and increased exposure to devices such as catheters, central lines, and ventilators. Such factors will make the infection prevention strategies such as hand hygiene even more critical in this demographic of patients (Haque et al., 2018).
I–Intervention– What evidence-based solution for the problem would you like to apply? Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
The intervention in question is the strict and consistent follow-up of evidence-based hand hygiene procedures of healthcare personnel. This involves the use of alcohol-based hand rubs or soap and water before and after patient contact, after discarding the gloves and after contact with potentially contaminated surfaces and bodily fluids. Additionally, the intervention also entails education and monitoring, as well as feedback mechanisms to strengthen the compliance (WHO, 2022).
C–Comparison– What is another solution to the problem? This is typically the current practice, an alternative solution, or no intervention.
The comparison group refers to one of usual care or cases where the proper hand hygiene protocols are not followed consistently. This can be those healthcare workers who do not wash or sanitize their hands as per laid down guidelines, hence there is an increased risk of transmitting pathogens to patients (Kang et al., 2021).
O–Outcome– How will you know the intervention worked? How will you measure the outcome? The outcome must be measurable from a baseline.
The major outcome that can be measured is the decrease in the rate of HAIs among adult and older adult patients. It will be measured by the hospital infection surveillance data monitoring the rate of infection, like bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia pre intervention and post-implementation of the intervention.
T–Timeframe– What is the timeframe or the target completion date?
When it comes to hand hygiene intervention, the time frame for its implementation and evaluation is 6 to 8 months.
- PICOT (Practice) Question
Write a PICOT question using standard formatting: In __adults and older patients___ (P), how does _the proper utilization of evidence based hand hygiene practices by health care practitioners____ (I) compared to ___non adherent hand hygiene__ (C) affect __the rate of healthcare associated infections___ (O) within __6-8 months ___ (T)?
- Use the standard PICOT format and label each element.
- P-Population
- I-Intervention
- C-Comparison
- O-Outcome
- T-Timeframe
- Keywords
Identify keywords for each component of the PICOT question that could be used to support a literature search. Please use Appendix B from Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2023) for further guidance.
- P = older population who are high risk population.
- I = proper hand hygiene, use of alcohol-based hand rub and infection control attributes.
- C = lack of hand hygiene, poor compliance to the outlined strategies and non-adherence.
- O = Health care associated infections, patient safety outcome and infection rate reduction.
- T = 6-8 months for outcome evaluation.
References
Haque M, Sartelli M, McKimm J, Abu Bakar M. Health care-associated infections – an overview. Infect Drug Resist. 2018 Nov 15;11:2321-2333. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S177247. PMID: 30532565; PMCID: PMC6245375.
Kang J, O’Donnell JM, Colaianne B, Bircher N, Ren D, Smith KJ. Use of personal protective equipment among health care personnel: Results of clinical observations and simulations. Am J Infect Control. 2017 Jan 1;45(1):17-23. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.08.011. PMID: 28065328.
Price, L., Gozdzielewska, L., Matuluko, A., Pittet, D., Allegranzi, B., & Reilly, J. (2022). Comparing the effectiveness of hand hygiene techniques in reducing the microbial load and covering hand surfaces in healthcare workers: Updated systematic review. American journal of infection control, 50(10), 1079-1090.
Wang C, Jiang W, Yang K, Yu D, Newn J, Sarsenbayeva Z, Goncalves J, Kostakos V. Electronic Monitoring Systems for Hand Hygiene: Systematic Review of Technology. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Nov 24;23(11):e27880. doi: 10.2196/27880. PMID: 34821565; PMCID: PMC8663600.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241597906
NR585NP Week 2 Assignment: PICOT Worksheet Example 2
Name: MC
General Instructions
1. Complete the PICOT Worksheet Template below using the scenario provided in the Week 1 announcements. Use of this template is required. If the template is not used, a 10% deduction will be applied. See the rubric. Save the template and include your name in the file name.
2. Follow APA grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation rules consistent with formal, scholarly writing.
3. Provide an in-text citation from three scholarly sources to support your writing. 4. Abide by Chamberlain University’s academic integrity policy.
A. Practice Problem
1. Using the practice problem identified in the Week 1 discussion, summarize your practice problem in 2-3 sentences.
· This practice problem focuses on the relationship between uncontrolled chronic pain and medications. The goal is to investigate the impact of incorporating multimodal therapies into treatment plans and their comparison to medications alone.
2. Explain why the issue/concern is important to nurse practitioner practice. Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
Inadequate pain control is important to nurse practitioners in primary care as they see their patients on a regular basis and can assess if the current treatment plan is working. Primary care NPs possess the ability to take a holistic approach in treating their patients as they can refer their patients to physical therapists, massage therapists, and many other specialties (Gregg et al., 2020). Providing adequate pain control by primary care NPs can assess patient responsiveness and adherence to treatment.
B. PICOT Elements
Discuss each of the following PICOT elements in one or two sentences:
P-Population – What is the nursing practice concern or problem, and who does it affect? Be specific and narrow down your population. The population should be client-focused. Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
· The nursing concern that is evident in today’s age is chronic pain, especially in older adults. Chronic pain can affect every aspect of a person’s life if not managed appropriately (Dydyk & Conermann, 2024).
I–Intervention – What evidence-based solution for the problem would you like to apply? Provide an in-text citation from one scholarly source to support your writing.
· As a solution to manage chronic pain, I would like to integrate massage and physical therapy into a patient’s plan. Integrating massage and physical therapy into a patient’s plan can promote muscle relaxation, improved functionality, and improved circulation (Flynn, 2020).
C–Comparison – What is another solution to the problem? This is typically the current practice, an alternative solution, or no intervention.
· Another solution to the problem is the current practice of medication management. Medication management is a trial-and-error process with dosing, as some dosages may not work for certain patients. The most common medications include tramadol, opioids, and antiepileptic drugs such as gabapentin (Dydyk & Conermann, 2024).
O–Outcome – How will you know the intervention worked? How will you measure the outcome? The outcome must be measurable from a baseline.
· A patient’s reported pain rating will measure the outcome, as this will be the best way to know if the interventions worked. Patient pain ratings and their pain descriptions are the most accurate, as we will be able to see if the pain ratings have either increased or decreased, and if the descriptions of the patient’s pain have changed.
T–Timeframe – What is the timeframe or the target completion date?
· The timeframe that was chosen was a 16-week study, as this gives the patient time to assess whether the interventions are making a difference or if they made no changes.
C. PICOT (Practice) Question
Write a PICOT question using standard formatting: In _____ (P), how does _____ (I) compared to _____ (C) affect _____ (O) within _____ (T)? 1. Use the standard PICOT format and label each element.
· P-Population
· I-Intervention
· C-Comparison
· O-Outcome
· T-Timeframe 2.
In adults with chronic pain presenting in their primary care office, what is the effect of a multifaceted pain management plan, including physical therapy, mindfulness techniques, and massage therapy, in comparison to medication alone, in reducing pain and improving functionality over a 16-week period?
D. Keywords
Identify keywords for each component of the PICOT question that could be used to support a literature search. Please use Appendix B from Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt (2023) for further guidance.
1. P = Adults, chronic pain
2. I = medication management
3. C = multimodal therapies, holistic therapy
4. O = improved, reduced
5. T = 16 weeks, 4 months
References
Dydyk, A. M., & Conermann, T. (2024, May 6). Chronic pain. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553030/
Flynn, D. M. (2020). Chronic musculoskeletal pain: nonpharmacologic, noninvasive treatments. American Family Physician, 102(8), 465–477. http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33064421/
Gregg, S. R., Brown, A., & Pasvogel, A. (2020). Try-It-On: Preparing family nurse practitioners to use holistic integrative interventions to reduce opioid prescriptions in chronic pain management. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000245
