Developing the PICOT Question

Developing the PICOT Question

This formative assessment will evaluate your ability to create a
well-structured PICOT question
that reflects the integration of evidence-based practice into clinical scenarios.

Instructions:

Read the Provided Scenario: Carefully review the clinical scenario below.

Identify Relevant Components: Use the PICOT framework to identify the components specific to the given scenario.

Create Your PICOT Question: Formulate a clear and concise
PICOT question
based on the identified components. Ensure each element of the PICOT is addressed.

Submit Your Assessment: Complete your PICOT question in the provided template and submit it by the designated deadline.

Clinical Scenario:

A hospital is seeing an increase in post-operative infections among diabetic patients who have undergone elective surgeries. The nursing staff is concerned about the effectiveness of current infection control measures and is exploring the possibility of implementing a new pre-operative glucose management protocol.

P (Population): Identify the specific patient population

I (Intervention): Define the intervention being considered

C (Comparison): Determine the comparison group

O (Outcome): Specify the desired outcome

T (Time): Indicate the time frame for measuring the outcomes

Developing the PICOT Question

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is incorporated into clinical activities to address a specific patient safety issue. Thus, EBP varies depending on current gap in clinical practice or a specific patient safety concern (Wafa’a et al., 2023). In the provided scenario, post-operative infections in persons with diabetes who have undergone elective surgeries are on the rise. Studies show that post-operative infections are common in diabetic patients receiving post-operative care in hospital’s med-surgical wards (Lee et al., 2024). Chen et al. (2025) reported a significantly high infection risk in diabetic patients receiving post-operative care compared to the general patient population. In diabetic patients, post-operative infections are attributed to adverse treatment outcomes, including prolonged stay (Osagwu et al., 2024). Post-operative infections further expose persons diagnosed with diabetes to huge economic burden, resulting in negative patient experience (Tomic et al., 2022). For these reasons, the upwards trend in post-operative infections should be addressed by implementing an EB intervention,
developed through a PICOT question
. This assessment focuses on the development of a well-structured PICOT question that would guide integration of an effective EB intervention into clinical care of persons with diabetes who have undergone elective surgeries.

Relevant PICOT Components

P (Population):
Adult diabetes patients receiving post-operative care in the hospital’s med-surgical ward following elective surgery.

I (Intervention):
Adopting a new pre-operative glucose management guideline

C (Comparison):
Standardized infection control measures

O (Outcome):
Decrease in post-operative infection rates.

T (Time):
Within 30 days.

PICOT Question

“In adult diabetic patients who have undergone elective surgeries (P), how does adopting a pre-operative glucose management guideline (I), compared to standardized infection control measures (C), influence post-operative infection rates (O) within the first 30 days of post-operative period (T)?”

References

Chen, K. Y., Chan, H. C., & Chan, C. M. (2025). Do
people
with diabetes have a higher risk of developing postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis. 
Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection
, 
15
(1), 24 Developing the PICOT Question.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12348-025-00483-9

Lee, B., Raftis, D., Shukla, D., Sarani, B., Sikka, N., & Hood, C. (2024). Investigating the Utility of Object Manipulation in Augmented Reality in Procedural Training. 
Telemedicine and e-Health
, 
30
(3).
https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10535804

Osagwu, M., Okobi, E., & Ekor, E. (2024). Postoperative infections: risk factors, prevention, and management strategies. 
Int J Med Sci Dent Res
, 
7
, 52-76.
https://www.ijmsdr.org/published%20paper/1i1i35/Postoperative-Infections-Risk-Factors-Prevention-and-Management-Strategies.pdf

Tomic, D., Shaw, J. E., & Magliano, D. J. (2022). The burden and risks of emerging complications of diabetes mellitus. 
Nature Reviews Endocrinology
, 
18
(9), 525-539.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-022-00690-7

Wafa’a, M. O., Ammouri, A. A., & Raddaha, A. H. A. (2023). Associations between barriers to implementing evidence-based practice and patient safety. 
Research and Theory for Nursing Practice
, 0(0); 1-15.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ali-Ammouri/publication/370483638_Associations_Between_Barriers_to_Implementing_Evidence-Based_Practice_and_Patient_Safety/links/646f7a875fb30b716c51c1ff/Associations-Between-Barriers-to-Implementing-Evidence-Based-Practice-and-Patient-Safety.pdf 
 Developing the PICOT Question