The document outlines the process of formulating a research question in evidence-based practice (EBP) for a nursing project, focusing on the PICOT model. It guides the reader through generating relevant questions, assessing their feasibility, and developing a preliminary PICOT question. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of conducting a literature review to support the selected research question.

1. Project: 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 your 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 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 this week. Focus on the
PICOT model for guiding the development of research
questions.
Review the section beginning on page 75 of the course text,
titled, “Developing and Refining Research Problems” in the
course text

2. ,( Marquis & Huston) 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.
(Refer to the PICOT question you earlier formulated for me on
handwashing)
Generate at
least five questions
that relate to the issue which 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 PICO question—one that is
answerable—based on your analysis. What are the PICO
variables (patient/population, intervention/issue, comparison,
and outcome) for this question? (once again refer to the PICO
question you earlier formulated for me on:
Does hand washing and appropriate staff dressing among the
surgical ward nurses reduce cross infection during patient
management)
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. 4-page paper that includes the following:
(1) 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
(2) The 5 questions you have generated and a description of
how you analyzed them for feasibility
(3) Your preliminary PICOT question and a description of each
PICOT variable relevant to your question
(4) 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/vie
wFile/9741/8144
Readings
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2012).
Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for
nursing practice
(Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Chapter 2, “Evidence-Based Nursing: Translating Research
Evidence into Practice” (Review pages 27–34)
Chapter 5, “Literature Reviews: Finding and Critiquing
Evidence”
In this chapter, you focus on conducting a literature review.

4. Topics include how to identify the relevant literature on a given
topic and then how to critique the strengths and weaknesses of
the literature that you have found. Finally, the chapter examines
how to synthesize the research findings into a written literature
review.
Houde, S. C. (2009). The systematic review of literature: A tool
for evidence-based policy.
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 35
(9), 9–12.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article emphasizes the importance of systematic reviews
of literature. The authors present an overview of resources that
may assist in conducting systematic reviews.
Krainovich-Miller, B., Haber, J., Yost, J., & Jacobs, S. K.
(2009). Evidence-based practice challenge: Teaching critical
appraisal of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines
to graduate students.
Journal of Nursing Education, 48
(4), 186–195.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article reviews the features of the TREAD Evidence-Based
Practice Model. In particular, the authors of this article stress
how the model emphasizes the use of standardized critical
appraisal tools and Level I evidence.
Robeson, P., Dobbins, M., DeCorby, K., & Tirilis, D. (2010).
Facilitating access to pre-processed research evidence in public
health.
B
MC Public Health, 10
, 95.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article describes a hierarchy of pre-processed evidence
and how it is adapted to the public health setting. The authors
identify a range of resources with relevant public health
content.
Barker, J. (n.d.)

5. Basic search tips and advanced Boolean explained.
Retrieved August 3, 2012, from
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Boole
an.pdf
This resource provides a graphical representation of different
approaches to research and gives examples of each.
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/vie
wFile/9741/8144
This article reviews the frameworks commonly used to assist in
generating answerable research questions. The author
recommends considering the individual elements of the
frameworks as interchangeable (depending upon the situation),
rather than trying to fit a situation to a specific framework.
Walden University Library. (2012).
Levels of evidence.
Retrieved from
http://libraryguides.waldenu.edu/evidencepyramid
This guide provides a listing of evidence-based clinical
resources, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses,
critically appraised topics, background information and expert
opinions, and unfiltered resources.
Indiana State University. (n.d.). Database search strategies.
Retrieved July 6, 2012, from
http://libguides.indstate.edu/content.php?pid=118904&sid=1065
428
In this resource, the most common types of database searches
are highlighted. It includes topics such as nesting searches,
phrase searches, and using synonyms of key words in the
search.

6. Library of Congress Online Catalog. (2008). Boolean searching
.
Retrieved from
http://catalog.loc.gov/help/boolean.htm
This web page provides a basic overview of Boolean searches
and provides simple examples of key search terms.
Walden University. (n.d.b.). Searching and retrieving materials
in the research databases. Retrieved August 10, 2012, from
http://libraryguides.waldenu.edu/content.php?pid=162865&sid=
1375878
This resource provides tips for searching in the Walden
Library. It includes a guide to keyword searches, an explanation
of Boolean searches, and tips on locating specific journals or
articles.
Document:
Course Project Overview (Word document)
Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012e).
Finding resources for EBP.
Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:
The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
In this video, Dr. Marianne Chulay identifies sources where
nurses can find evidence to support their practices. She provides
several examples of resources that provide specific information
about best practices in health care.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012f).
Finding sources of evidence.
Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:
The approximate length of this media piece is 9 minutes.
Dr. Kristen Mauk explains the process of performing a

7. literature review in this video. She provides advice for nursing
students in browsing databases and analyzing sources of
evidence.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012g).
Hierarchy of evidence pyramid
. Baltimore, MD: Author.
This multimedia piece explains the hierarchy of evidence
pyramid. The piece offers definitions and key information for
each level of the pyramid.