Assingments % - Identify a Clinical Problem and Formulate a Focused PICO Question

Assignment Overview:
This discussion-based assignment is designed to facilitate in-depth engagement with evidence-based practice (EBP) by critically examining a clinical problem and exploring evidence to guide potential solutions. Through peer interaction, students will deepen their understanding of EBP principles, refine their critical thinking skills, and enhance their ability to evaluate research evidence for clinical application.

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to foster a collaborative learning environment where students apply evidence-based methodologies to address real-world clinical problems.
Skills: Students will utilize structured tools like the EBP matrix to strengthen their ability to evaluate and implement evidence-based interventions in nursing practice which is an important skill for an advanced practice nurse in healthcare.
For the purpose of this discussion, students will utilize structured tools like the EBP matrix to strengthen their ability to evaluate and implement evidence-based interventions into practice.
After the completion of this assignment, the student will be able to:
Identify a clinical problem and formulate a focused PICO question.
Conduct a systematic literature review to locate high-quality evidence.
Use the Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP Tool to evaluate and categorize evidence based on its level and quality.
Develop an evidence matrix summarizing findings to support clinical decision-making.
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Task: For this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to critique the role of the DNP in the use of an assigned evidence-based practice (EBP) model and apply it to a chosen practice problem.
This assignment is intended to be a discussion and interaction among peers. Please follow APA formatting/structure for all other aspects of the discussion. Peer reviewed journal references are required for your postings and will strengthen your points within the discussion (see rubric).
This discussion question will be “worth” a total of 15 points of your overall grade for this course. Grading will be assigned by the faculty based on the quality and content of your posts; your level of participation in the discussion will be considered in the grading. Students are expected to cross post to at least 2 peers in the discussion. Your cross post should provide a substantial posting that offers new or additional information to what was originally discussed. Including “I agree” or “nice work” comments do not constitute as a substantial cross post and may affect your grade.
Discussion Limit: The initial post should be approximately 500 words. The cross post should be approximately 250 words. Expected word counts do not include references.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

1. Identify a Clinical Problem and Formulate a Focused PICO Question

Start by identifying a clinical issue you are interested in addressing. For example, you could focus on something like “reducing nurse burnout” or “improving patient satisfaction with pain management.” Once you’ve selected your clinical problem, formulate a PICO question to guide your research:

P (Population): Who is the patient or population affected?
I (Intervention): What intervention are you considering?
C (Comparison): What is the alternative or comparison to the intervention?
O (Outcome): What is the expected outcome or effect?

For example:
“In hospital nurses (P), how does implementing a mindfulness-based intervention (I) compared to standard stress management techniques (C) affect burnout rates (O)?”

2. Conduct a Systematic Literature Review

Once you have your PICO question, conduct a systematic literature review to identify high-quality evidence related to your clinical problem. Focus on recent peer-reviewed articles (published within the last 5-7 years) to ensure your evidence is current. Use databases like PubMed, CINAHL, or Cochrane Library.

3. Use the Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP Tool

After locating your articles, use the Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP Tool to evaluate the quality of the studies. This tool will help you categorize evidence based on its level and quality:

Level I: Evidence from a systematic review or meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Level II: Evidence from at least one well-designed RCT.
Level III: Evidence from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.
Level IV: Evidence from well-designed case-control or cohort studies.
Level V: Evidence from systematic reviews of descriptive or qualitative studies.

Use this framework to critically assess the studies you find and ensure they meet the required standards of quality.

4. Develop an Evidence Matrix

Create an evidence matrix to summarize your findings from the literature. The matrix should include:

Author/Year
Study Design
Sample Size
Intervention/Comparison
Outcome(s)
Level of Evidence
Quality of Evidence

The evidence matrix will help you organize the data and make it easier to compare and contrast the studies. This also helps with clinical decision-making when selecting the most appropriate intervention.

5. Critique the Role of the DNP in the Use of EBP

Critically analyze the role of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in applying your chosen EBP model to the clinical problem. The DNP plays a critical role in translating evidence into practice and ensuring that evidence-based interventions are tailored to meet the needs of the patient population. You will explore how the DNP can lead, implement, and evaluate the impact of evidence-based interventions in clinical settings.

6. Cross-Post to Two Peers

After posting your initial response, engage with your peers by responding to at least two classmates’ posts. Ensure your responses provide additional insight or expand on their discussion. Avoid simple comments like “I agree” or “great post.” Your responses should be thoughtful and contribute to advancing the conversation.

7. References

Include references from peer-reviewed journals in APA 7th Edition format. These references will support your discussion and the points you make throughout the assignment.

Example Structure for Initial Post:

Introduction (1-2 paragraphs):
Introduce your clinical problem and why it’s relevant to nursing practice. Briefly explain how EBP can be used to address this issue.
PICO Question (1 paragraph):
Present your formulated PICO question and provide rationale for its selection.
Literature Review (2-3 paragraphs):
Discuss the findings from your systematic literature review. Summarize the key studies and the level of evidence they provide.
Johns Hopkins EBP Tool Evaluation (1 paragraph):
Explain how you used the Johns Hopkins tool to evaluate the evidence.
Evidence Matrix (1 paragraph):
Provide a brief summary of your evidence matrix and its key findings.
Critique of the DNP Role (1-2 paragraphs):
Critically assess the DNP’s role in applying EBP to your clinical problem and how they can influence practice.
Conclusion (1 paragraph):
Wrap up your discussion by summarizing key points and the importance of EBP in addressing clinical problems.

This structure will help you develop a thorough and organized response, showcasing your ability to critically evaluate evidence-based practices and their application in real-world clinical settings. Let me know if you need further help!