“To use evidence-based practice, you need a clear idea of the question you would like to answer. PICO is an acronym to help you formulate a clinical question and guide your search for evidence. Using this formula can help you find the best evidence available in a quicker, more efficient manner.”
Note: Sometimes you will see the PICO acronym as PICO[T]. The T stands for Timeframe.
Clinical question
Can motivational interviews be effective in reducing pediatric BMI?
Possible article:
Tucker, S. J., Ytterberg, K. L., Lenoch, L. M., Schmit, T. L., Mucha, D. I., Wooten, J. A., . . . Wahlen, K. J. M. (2013). Reducing pediatric overweight: Nurse-delivered motivational interviewing in primary care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 28(6), 536-547
PICO[T] Concept Map
Useful Evidence-Based Websites for PICO Searches:
PICO Handouts for Creating a Clinical Question
Template for Asking [Creating] PICO(T) Questions (pdf)
*Adapted from the PICOT Questions Template; Ellen Fineout-Overholt, 2006. This form may be used for educational & research purposes without permission.
*This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Alverno College Library.