Discuss and submit your PICOT question.

What is the healthcare problem you propose to change? 

What impact does it have on the patient, community, cost of care, quality of life, readmissions?

Be detailed about your population and setting. It should be a health problem identified in your clinical setting or community. It should be realistic.

PICOT Guidelines

PICOT- Should be discussed in detail. This section should include your PICOT question but also should provide thorough descriptions of your population, intervention, comparison intervention, outcome, and timing (if appropriate to your question).

The PICOT process begins with a case scenario, and the question is phrased to elicit an answer:

EXAMPLE: Will the implementation if (I)_____in a specific population of _______(P) compared to ______(C) improve _______(O) in a period of _______(T)?

The word PICOT is a mnemonic derived from the elements of a clinical research question – patient, intervention, comparison, outcome, and (sometimes) time. The PICOT process begins with a case scenario, and the question is phrased to elicit an answer. P – Patient/Problem I – Intervention C – Comparison O – Outcome T – Timeframe

NOTE: The goal of the MSN Capstone is to integrate Theory and Practice. Therefore, the Capstone is to present evidenced-based on a healthcare problem without needing IRB approval. The project should focus on quality improvement, a teaching plan or the development of a new policy and/or procedure within the clinical setting/community. IRB approval is needed when you have direct involvement with human subjects. Such as, interaction or intervention with human subjects or involve access to identifiable private information.

Examples of Capstone Topics

These are a few examples of health issues. However, I encourage you to identify your own Capstone problem at your workplace or community. You should have issues you can identify with your Capstone preceptors. 

Importance of taking the health history

Disease common with the aged population 

Strategies to ensure healthy aging 

Reducing associated ventilator infections in hospitalized patients 

Patient advocacy and advanced practice 

Physical environmental risk factors for elderly falls

Examining mental health of a specific population

Improving the process of preventive care 

The use of chlorhexidine to reduce hospital-acquired infections

The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques in psychiatric facilities

Cultural-based mental health programs

How domestic violence affects the children 

Using CBT for PTSD affected veterans

Impacts of bullying at the workplace for new nurses 

Development of new mental health guide for educators

Link link between homelessness and mental health issues

Postpartum depression among women 

Preeclampsia among women

Preventing pregnant women from Zika Virus

Infant mortality and preterm birth among African American women

Addressing mental health among pregnant women in rural areas 

The link between HPV and cervical 

Smoking and pregnancy

Diabetes management during pregnancy

Prevention of patient falls through education 

Potential causes of falls in hospitals 

Nursing interventions to prevent falls