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Physician Assistant

PICO

Patient

What are the most important characteristics?

Primary problem

Disease state

Co-existing condition

Describe your patient in detail:

Sex

Age

Ethnicity Socioeconomic status

Intervention

What do you want to do for the patient?

Order a test

Prescribe a drug

Order a procedure

Other considerations:

Main intervention

Prognostic factors

Exposures

Comparison

What is the alternate intervention, if any?

A different drug

No medication

A different test

A different procedure

Outcome

What are you hoping to achieve, measure, or change for the patient?

Alleviate symptoms

Improve test results

Reduce pain

Improve function

Formulating PICO Questions

DIAGNOSIS OR DIAGNOSTIC TEST

  • Are/is (I) more accurate in diagnosing (P) compared with (C) for (O)?

ETIOLOGY

  • Are (P) who have (I) at increased/decreased risk for/of  (O) compared with (P) with/without (C) over (T)?

INTERVENTION/THERAPY

  • In (P), what is the effect of  (I) on (O) compared with (C) within (T)?

MEANING

  • How do (P) diagnosed with (I) perceive (O) during (T)?

PREVENTION

  • For (P) does the use of (I) reduce the future risk of (O) compared with (C)?

PROGNOSIS/PREDICTION

  • Does (I)  influence (O) in patients who have (P) over (T)?

From: Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Wolters Kluwer

Think about PICOT