Introduction
Providing high-quality patient care in the healthcare industry depends on evidence-based practice. This study aims to build a PICOT (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) inquiry to solve a clinical nursing problem and provide a framework for a change proposal for the capstone project (Joyner, 2022). The clinical trial that has to be addressed by a nursing intervention will be compared with the intervention’s potential for achieving positive patient outcomes.
Step 1: Creating the PICOT Question
In a designated patient population within the clinical area, the PICOT question is as follows: Among postoperative surgical patients (P), implementing hourly ambulation and exercise (I) compared to standard postoperative care without structured ambulation (C) results in a decrease in the incidence of postoperative complications such as deep vein thrombosis and pneumonia (O) within the first-week post-surgery (T)?
Step 2: Identifying the PICOT Problem
The urgent clinical issue is increased postoperative complications among surgical patients, particularly illnesses like deep vein thrombosis and pneumonia. This issue is significant since it harms patient well-being and costs healthcare. It is crucial to adopt solutions based on sound research to raise patient care (Sensmeier & Carroll, 2021). The implementation of organized nursing treatments, such as regular ambulation and exercise, is seen to have a large gap, which significantly leads to the formation of these issues. By sincerely addressing this problem through evidence-based nursing practices, the possibility for a palpable improvement in patient outcomes emerges.
Step 3: Describing the Nursing Intervention
For patients recuperating from surgery, a nursing intervention plan includes hourly ambulation and exercise to target the associated clinical problem effectively. This visionary approach seeks to thwart the emergence of complications by bolstering blood circulation and fighting immobilization-induced problems. In contrast, patients not exposed to this technical nursing intervention would adhere to the conventional postoperative care routine, encompassing defined mobility and limited physical activity (Ross & Meier, 2021). Executing this transformative change involves a comprehensive education and training process for both nursing personnel and patients. This orchestrated trouble could be realized within a reasonable month, ensuring a flawless and effective transition toward embracing this innovative intervention system.
Step 4: Summarizing Clinical Problem and Patient Outcome
The increased problem of postoperative complications is a significant barrier to patient welfare and healthcare resources. It is possible to use well-planned nursing interventions, such as regular ambulation and exercise, to provide positive patient outcomes (Joyner, 2022). People who actively engage in regular exercise and ambulation are likely to have improved circulation, less vulnerability to deep vein thrombosis, and enhanced pulmonary function, all of which help to reduce the risk of pneumonia. This change supports established, evidence-based practices and improves nurse care, patient recovery, and the overall standard of healthcare. Accepting such treatments paves the door for improved patient outcomes and a more resilient healthcare environment.
Conclusion
An organized method for addressing clinical nursing issues and directing evidence-based solutions is to develop a PICOT question. For postoperative surgical patients, the PICOT question in this scenario centred on adopting hourly ambulation and exercise to reduce the likelihood of problems. Healthcare personnel can seek to improve patient care and outcomes by recognizing the issue, suggesting a nursing solution, comparing it to conventional care, and projecting a favourable patient result (Onteeru & Zhang, 2023). The PICOT framework helps direct change proposals and evidence-based nursing practices.
References
Joyner, D.A. (2022) ‘Question volume’, Teaching at Scale, pp. 68–82. doi:10.4324/9781003274834-8.
Onteeru, M. and Zhang, R. (2023) ‘Improving patient and physician outcomes through LGBTQ+ pedagogical interventions in surgical training and practice’, Journal of Surgical Education, 80(4), pp. 486–489. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.12.008.
Ross, L. and Meier, N. (2021) ‘Improving adult coping with social isolation during COVID‐19 in the community through nurse‐led patient-centred telehealth teaching and listening interventions’, Nursing Forum, 56(2), pp. 467–473. doi:10.1111/nuf.12552.
Sensmeier, J. and Carroll, W.M. (2021) ‘Improving patient outcomes through sharable, comparable nursing data using a unique nurse identifier’, CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 39(2), pp. 61–62. doi:10.1097/cin.0000000000000706.