Course Project: Part 1–Identifying a Researchable Problem

One of the most challenging aspects of EBP is to actually identify the answerable question.
—Karen Sue Davies

Formulating a question that targets the goal of your research is a challenging but essential task. The question plays a crucial role in all other aspects of the research, including the determination of the research design and theoretical perspective to be applied, which data will be collected, and which tools will be used for analysis. It is therefore essential to take the time to ensure that the research question addresses what you actually want to study. Doing so will increase the likelihood of obtaining meaningful results.

In this first component of the course project, you formulate questions to address a particular nursing issue or problem. You use the PICOT model—patient/population, intervention/issue, comparison, and outcome—outlined in the weekly Learning Resources to design your questions.

To prepare:

• Review the article, “Formulating the Evidence Based Practice Question: A Review of the Frameworks,” found in the Learning Resources for Week 2. Focus on the PICOT model for guiding the development of research questions.

• Review the section beginning on page of the course text, 75 titled, “Developing and Refining Research Problems” in the course text, which focuses on analyzing the feasibility of a research problem.

• Reflect on an issue or problem that you have noticed in your nursing practice. Consider the significance of this issue or problem.
• Generate at least 5 questions that relate to the issue that you have identified. Use the criteria in your course text to select one question that would be most appropriate in terms of significance, feasibility, and interest. Be prepared to explain your rationale.
• Formulate a preliminary PICOT question—one that is answerable—based on your analysis. What are the PICOT variables (patient/population, intervention/issue, comparison, and outcome) for this question? Note: Not all of these variables may be appropriate to every question. Be sure to analyze which are and are not relevant to your specific question.
• Using the PICOT variables that you determined for your question, develop a list of at least 10 keywords that could be used when conducting a literature search to investigate current research pertaining to the question.

To complete:

Write a 3- to 4-page paper that includes the following:

• A summary of your area of interest, an identification of the problem that you have selected, and an explanation of the significance of this problem for nursing practice

The improvement of health care service provision in the health care facilities is a continuous process in which health care providers seek to ensure patient-centered approach is attained. In the past, health care providers offered patient care based on experience, a practice that has been overtaken by events. The current health care practice requires nurses to adopt an evidence-based approach in provision of health care. This approach ensures consideration and inclusion of research findings in nursing practice. Evidence based practices are both beneficial to the patient and to the organization by way of reducing costs and improving efficiency. Such an approach is the use o…

• The 5 questions that you have generated, and a description of how you analyzed them for feasibility  
• Your preliminary PICOT question and a description of each PICOT variable relevant to your question  
• At least 10 possible keywords that could be used when conducting a literature search for your PICOT question and a rationale for your selections

Reference:
Davies, K. S. (2011). Formulating the evidence based practice question: A review of the frameworks. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 6(2), 75–80. Retrieved from https://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/viewFile/9741/8144