"Evidence-based practice in nursing involves providing holistic, quality care based on the most up-to-date research and knowledge rather than traditional methods, advice from colleagues, or personal beliefs."
--American Nurses Association
The PICO framework is a means of identifying an information need or research question in evidence-based practice. The framework helps the researcher identify specific terminology that will be useful in locating relevant information in the literature.
P = Patient or Population
Description of patient or patient group, including demographics, risk factors, general health, disease, or condition. May also refer to the problem being investigated.
I = Intervention
Intervention being utilized, including therapeutic, diagnostic, or preventive. Examples include tests, procedures, drugs/medications, surgery, medical advice, or a lifestyle change.
C = Comparison or Control
Alternative (comparison) treatment or intervention. May include standard care, absence of preventive measure, absence of exposure, placebo, or no treatment.
O = Outcome
What is the desired outcome? What is being measured, and how is it being measured? Examples may include relief from symptoms, progression or recurrence of disease or symptoms, and rates mortality or survival.
Fast Facts for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing by 
Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, Fourth Edition by 
The PEACE Model Evidence-Based Practice Guide for Clinical Nurses by Creating a Nursing Procedure: When Evidence-Based Practice Doesn’t Fill in All the Blanks
As biomedical technology evolves and new medications are introduced into practice settings, nurses must follow institutional policies that ensure safe use of these innovations. Medical-surgical nurses should be knowledgeable about their scope of practice and institutional policies and procedures.
Evidence-Based Practice
From: The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health(Vol. 3. 5th ed.)
Defines and describes evidence-based practice; provides a history and discusses six associated tasks.
A guided search: Formulating a PICOT from assigned areas of inquiry
The evidence‐based practice (EBP) competencies of cultivating inquiry and formulation of Population, Intervention, Outcome, and Time (PICOT) questions are essential to quality improvement, healthcare outcomes, and the development of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly projects.
Nurturing a Spirit of Inquiry: Fundamentals of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
Implementing evidence-based practice in nursing is essential for connecting theoretical knowledge with practical patient care. This article provides an overview of evidence-based practice and explores the essential elements for the development of a spirit of inquiry.
Strategies to Achieve Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
Emphasizes the value of lifelong learning and access to scientific literature in order to remain current with evidence-based nursing practice.
Understanding the Evidence: Deconstructing the Research Article
Presents a brief summary of the origin of evidence-based practice (EBP), highlights the importance of developing skill in the EBP process, and presents an overview of the components of a research article.
Evidence-Based Practice : What It Is and What It Is Not
c2017 - 20:47 minutes
Includes segments:
Evidence-Based Practice - 05:34
Defining Evidence-Based Practice - 07:02
Developing an Evidence-Based Question - 06:54
Evidence-Based Professional Competencies in MS Nursing
Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN)
This page includes a position statement, an overview including rationale and definitions, and references.
Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice
University of Minnesota Health Sciences Libraries
This tutorial is an open educational resource (OER) featuring numerous case studies that illustrate the five steps of Evidence-Based Practice, including advice for formulating PICO or PICOT questions.
What Is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing?
American Nurses Association
Post from the ANA Nursing Resources Hub that presents information about using EBP in nursing, steps to implement EBP in nursing, and analyzing evidence-based research.
