NURS-6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

NURS-6052 Discussion: Searching Databases

I began the process by learning more about the ‘PICO-T’ phenomenon. It is an acronym for methodically breaking down what kind of information a good research question should ask, and it is important to ask questions this way because it represents a systemic breakdown of the components of a research issue (Stillwell et al., 2010). Medication errors and prevention are a particular interest of mine. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to learn about medication errors. I thought it would be interesting to look into reconciliation, but I couldn’t narrow the results down to a specific intervention. I started by searching for’medication errors,’ which led me to a slew of references ranging from pediatrics to pharmacist involvement. I knew I didn’t want any pediatrics information. And it appears too complicated to ask to what extent pharmacist involvement affected medication errors.

Furthermore, when I checked that box, the results were minimal. Then it occurred to me: why not broaden the question to include all interventions? I looked through the Walden Library, PubMed.gov, and the Cochrane Library. All of this produced a plethora of results when I searched for medication error prevention policies. After all, that is my area of expertise. I suppose it is best to see where your colleges have already traveled before embarking on an entirely new experiment of study, right? As a result, I devised the following PICO-T question: What inpatient medication prevention policies have been shown to reduce medication errors in adult patients admitted for at least 24 hours? After reading the resources for this discussion/assignment, I wondered if this was too general or vague.

On ohsu.edu, there is a good breakdown of background versus foreground questions, as well as examples of questions that are either too generalized or specific enough to meet the PICO-T criteria (ohsu.edu, 2021). So I decided to expand my search and try to zero in on a specific intervention that was effective. Are electronic medical records more effective than handwritten records at reducing medication errors in adult hospital patients? What happened to my timetable? Is the phrase “hospital setting” implied? These are the questions I’m pondering. Then I realize I’m getting too hung up on this timeframe thing. But I think that’s a good PICO; I’m just not sure if the “handwritten” comparison is necessary. When I include it in my search criteria, my results suffer greatly. So, if I can avoid the comparison, I will.

References

(September 13, 2021) ohsu.edu. https://libguides.ohsu.edu/nursing/PICO (accessed September 20, 2021).

S. B. Stillwell, E. Fineout-Overholt, B. M. Melnyk, and K. M. Williamson (2010). Step-by-step evidence-based practice: A critical step in evidence-based practice is asking the clinical question. 58-61 in the American Journal of Nursing.