To begin the process you need to ask an answerable question which will help you find the evidence to support your decision. A good starting point is to use the PICO framework.
Patient
Intervention
Comparison
Outcome
This video from the University of Queensland provides a clear explanation of PICO.
The PICO framework can be used as a guide to formulate your clinical question.
| Patient / Problem | Intervention | Comparison | Outcome |
|
Describe the population or problem
|
What do you want to know?
|
What are you comparing?
|
What is your desired outcome?
|
There are different types of evidence-based research questions. These include therapy, diagnosis, aetiology, prevention and prognosis.
Therapy: A comparison of the effectiveness of two types of treatment.
In _[Patient/Problem]__ how does _[Intervention]__ compared to _[Comparison]__ effect _[Outcome]__?
In long term smokers how does the use of nicotine patches compared to no treatment (going 'cold turkey') effect their ability to stop smoking?
Diagnosis: A comparison between the accuracy of diagnostic tests.
Are _[Intervention]__ more accurate in diagnosing _[Problem]__ compared to _[Comparison]__ ?
Are mammograms more accurate in diagnosing breast cancer compared to ultrasounds?
Aetiology: Looks at the cause or origin to determine if someone has an increased risk of developing a disease or condition.
Are _[Population]__ who have _[Exposure]__ more at risk for developing _[Outcome]__ ?
Are Australians who have plenty of exposure to the sun more at risk of developing skin cancer than Russians?
Prevention: How to reduce the risk of this disease/ condition.
For _[Patient]__ does the use of _[Intervention]__ reduce the risk of _[Outcome]__ compared to _[Comparison]__?
For adult patients in the ICU, do basin-less baths reduce the risk of acquiring resistant microorganisms (Eg. MRSA) compared to basin baths?
Prognosis: What is the likely outcome, progression or survival time for this condition.
Does _[Intervention]__ influence _[Outcome]__ in patients who are _[Problem]__ ?
Does daily exercise influence overall health in patients who are obese?
Activity
Now you can have a go at creating your own questions using this interactive module from the Clinical Information Access Portal.
Edith Cowan University acknowledges and respects the Noongar people, who are
the traditional custodians of the land upon which its campuses stand and its programs
operate.
In particular ECU pays its respects to the Elders, past and present, of the Noongar
people, and embrace their culture, wisdom and knowledge.