PICO question

Scenario for assessment:
. Immunisations
At a recent GP visit it was suggested that Bronwyn, should have Amy, her 11 month old baby, immunized against Measles, Mumps and Rubella very soon. Bronwyn, who has worked as a health care professional, primarily in Aged Care, is aware that there is quite a bit of community debate about whether to immunize or not. She is afraid of doing anything that could harm Amy and she has heard a lot about the side-effects of immunisation, such as Autism, in the media. However, she is not really sure about the benefits and risks of immunisation and she has also heard that there has recently been an increase in children developing Measles. She wants to do what is best for Amy and so she decides she needs to know more about this issue before she makes a final decision.

Assessment Task 2: Written Assignment €“ Develop a PICO question and acquire the best available evidence. (800 words) €“ 20%
Description: For this assignment you will be required to use the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) model as a framework to develop a question that can be answered by using the skills for inquiry. You will develop your PICO question based on a scenario in the assessment folder on LEO
Instructions:
1. From the scenarios provided, choose one as a basis for your inquiry.
2. Read the scenario carefully and identify an issue that you would like to explore in more detail.
3. Using the PICO principles formulate an answerable question to address the issue identified in step two.
4. Describe the process you used for developing the PICO question, paying particular attention to identifying each PICO element and the choice of key words
5. Search for evidence to answer the PICO question developed in step two.
6. Describe the search process and strategy you used to find this evidence
7. List 5 pieces of evidence you have secured via the search strategy described in step 5 using APA referencing. [does not count towards word count]
8. Justify why they are the best sources of evidence to address your PICO question.
9. Students are strongly advised to use the Marking Guide and detailed instructions in the assignment folder on LEO, as a guide when writing the essay.

Due date: Week 6: 23:59hrs Sunday 5/4/2015
Weighting: 20%
Length and/or format: 800 words
Purpose: This assignment is the first part of a two part process to assess your understanding of Evidence-Based Practice principles. By undertaking this assessment task you will demonstrate your capacity to develop a PICO question and use it to search for evidence related to an observed professional issue. The information gathered in this assessment task will be used in Assessment Task 3.
Learning outcomes assessed: 2, 4, 5 and 6.
How to submit: Submission is via the Turnitin Drop Box on the electronic learning system
Return of assignment: Assignments along with comments will be returned via the Turnitin Drop Box on the electronic learning system not more than three weeks after the final submission date.
Assessment criteria: This activity requires students to demonstrate an appreciation for the principles of developing an answerable question and an understanding of how to gather evidence to answer the question.

Instructions:
€¢ Present the assignment as a scholarly/academic essay with an introduction, body and conclusion.
€“ The introduction should present the overall topic and purpose of the essay, how you will address it, and why it is important to be able to assess a research study.
€“ The body will follow the research process set out in the article and will include all aspects of your appraisal and critique.
€“ The conclusion should be a brief overview of the main points you have made in the body. No new information should be included.
€¢ During your appraisal:
€“ consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the article, and
€“ discuss how the recommendations from the article could be used in evidence-based clinical practice (EBP)
€¢ Students are strongly advised to use the Marking Guide and detailed instruction in LEO as a guide when writing the essay.