Course Project Milestone #1: PICOT & Literature Review Worksheet
PICOT Worksheet
Step 1: Identify the Problem. What have you noticed in your work or school environment
that isn’t achieving the desired patient or learning outcomes? What needs to change in
nursing, what can you change with the support of evidence in the literature? Determine the
focus of the research question. Assessment, Diagnosis, Etiology, Prevention, Prognosis, or
Therapy.
Step 2: Identify a potential solution. Do you have an idea of what could be done to solve the
problem?
P = students entering online program
I = mandatory orientation
C= elective orientation or none
O = increased retention
T = second semester
Your research question:
Focus of the question:
Your PICO(T) Elements
P = Patients(s) or problem
Patient, patient population or presenting issue
I = Intervention under Consideration
C = Comparison
NURSING STUDENT’S ATTITUTES TOWARDS ADOLESENT CARE 2
What is the current practice you are comparing to “I”? (This element may be implied or
missing)
O = Outcome
What is the effect of the “I” on “P?” What is desired outcome?
T = Time
Is there a need to limit the timeframe for the intervention?
Search Techniques: Please answer the following questions below.
- What three database(s) in the CCN library best address your research question
(CINAHL, Cochrane, Medline, ERIC, (others; i.e. what subject heading would you use to
perform your search)? - How can you focus or expand the search if initial search results are not satisfactory?
- Describe ways you might refine your general search to reduce the number of results
from your search. Can you use the EBSCO subject headings?
NURSING STUDENT’S ATTITUTES TOWARDS ADOLESENT CARE 3
Describe if the study sample is large and global enough so that conclusions can be
generalized to other populations. Can you take the study recommendations and use them
as a guide? Is there a research tool you can use?
Nursing Students Attitudes towards Adolescent Care
In my course as nursing student in this college, I have noticed that many of the nurse
students have negative attitudes towards adolescent care in hospitals. From their daily
conversations; it is apparent that many of them would not find it very comfortable dealing with
adolescence patients in clinical settings. According to studies, attitudes of nurses do have an
impact on patients on specific categories of medical conditions. In addition, this effect can even
extend to their relatives (Bancroft, 2009). Student’s negative attitudes towards care for
adolescences are instigated by a number of factors including but not limited to: their
mentors/educator’s attitudes, media reports, lack of confidence and experience, and lack of
proper resources tailored specifically to these adolescent care in many health settings. It is
therefore, paramount for college management to improve on exposure of these students to
various aspects of clinical works and patients.
Concerning this aspect, it would be probable that the management of nursing colleges and
student mentors develop an understanding on what the student’s beliefs and attitudes are. They
should then give them a proper view and teach them the importance of developing positive
NURSING STUDENT’S ATTITUTES TOWARDS ADOLESENT CARE 4
attitude to patients of all calibers. In this respect, nurse educators should be aware of their own
stigma or attitudes and avoid as much as they could improper distancing of certain group of
patients, insufficient teaching, and other inappropriate nursing activities. They should understand
that they are role models and that students are supposed to emulate them in their current and
future practice. According to Allport, (2009), fear happens to be the main element that leads to
stigma and discrimination of patients by nurses. Proper and sufficient instructions by the
educators as well as clinical practical exposure may assist a lot in altering the attitude of nursing
students on care of adolescent patients. The American Nursing Association (2011) also adds that
curriculum designers for nursing colleges should make programs that prepare students in nursing
field for the professional role. In addition, such programs should foster positive attitudes on these
students for patients of all calibers.
Research Question
Nurses are crucial element not in US but also in any country’s health care systems. Nurse
educators could potentially influence the student’s attitudes through education, model, activities
and their own activities. The purpose of this study is to find out how nurse educators confront the
negative attitudes of their nurse students towards specific patients such as adolescents.
PICOT
P- Confronting student’s negative attitude towards adolescent patients
1-Significant intervention for this would be development of the curriculum that fosters positive
attitudes, educators acting as role models, adequate education as well as practical clinical
exposure.
NURSING STUDENT’S ATTITUTES TOWARDS ADOLESENT CARE 5
C- Impact of Nurse Educators or none
O- The intervention measures outlined in I may assist a lot in altering the attitude of nursing
students on care of adolescent patients. In addition, the interventions if fully adhered to will
properly prepare the students for their professional roles.
T- These measures ought to be referred as early as when students reports to their course. This is
supposed to go on even in the place of work where the management is expected to motivate their
staff.
Search Technique
Three databases may adequately address this research question includes ebscohost,
Medline, and Cochrane. The subject in this case will be “Educators role in managing student’s
attitudes in adolescent care”.
NURSING STUDENT’S ATTITUTES TOWARDS ADOLESENT CARE 6
References
American Nurses Association ANA. “Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive
Statements”
Allport, G.W. (2009). “The nature of prejudice”. Reading, MA: Addison – Wesley.
Bancroft, N (2009), “Student nurses’ attitudes towards adolescents and their care in
hospitals” Paediatric Nursing;Jul 2009, Vol. 20 Issue 6, p32.