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.
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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
