100 DNP PICOT Questions for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

This article presents 100 DNP PICOT Questions for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) across multiple specialties, including mental health, primary care, chronic disease management, pediatrics, women’s health, geriatrics, and nursing leadership. Each sample question is designed to inspire DNP students in crafting their own project ideas, align with clinical practice priorities, and strengthen the integration of evidence into nursing care. Whether you are just beginning your DPI project or refining your focus, these examples will help you identify a problem, design interventions, and evaluate measurable outcomes.

Developing a well-structured clinical question is one of the most important steps in evidence-based practice (EBP) and doctoral nursing projects. For Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students, the PICOT framework—Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Time—provides a roadmap for formulating focused, researchable questions that guide scholarly inquiry. Choosing the right question not only shapes the direction of a project but also ensures its clinical relevance and impact on patient outcomes.

100 DNP PICOT Questions for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Adult Primary Care

1. In adults with hypertension (P), does home blood pressure monitoring (I), compared to clinic-only monitoring (C), improve blood pressure control (O) within 6 months (T)?
2. In adults with obesity (P), does nurse-led lifestyle counseling (I), compared to standard physician counseling (C), improve BMI reduction (O) within 12 months (T)?
3. In diabetic patients (P), does continuous glucose monitoring (I), compared to self-monitoring with finger sticks (C), improve HbA1c control (O) within 6 months (T)?
4. In older adults with polypharmacy (P), does pharmacist-led medication reconciliation (I), compared to usual care (C), reduce adverse drug events (O) within 1 year (T)?
5. In patients with uncontrolled diabetes (P), does telehealth coaching (I), compared to in-person visits (C), improve glycemic control (O) within 3 months (T)?

Pediatrics

6. In children with asthma (P), does a school-based asthma education program (I), compared to no intervention (C), reduce ER visits (O) within 12 months (T)?
7. In pediatric patients with obesity (P), does parental involvement in nutrition education (I), compared to child-only interventions (C), improve weight outcomes (O) within 6 months (T)?
8. In infants at risk for SIDS (P), does parental education (I), compared to routine discharge instructions (C), improve safe sleep practices (O) within 3 months (T)?
9. In school-aged children with ADHD (P), does behavioral therapy (I), compared to medication only (C), improve academic performance (O) within 1 year (T)?
10. In children with autism (P), does structured caregiver training (I), compared to standard outpatient therapy (C), improve communication outcomes (O) within 6 months (T)?

Mental Health & Psychiatry

11. In adults with depression (P), does collaborative care (I), compared to usual primary care (C), improve symptom reduction (O) within 6 months (T)?
12. In veterans with PTSD (P), does virtual reality exposure therapy (I), compared to standard CBT (C), reduce symptoms (O) within 3 months (T)?
13. In adolescents with anxiety (P), does mindfulness-based therapy (I), compared to no intervention (C), reduce anxiety scores (O) within 8 weeks (T)?
14. In patients with bipolar disorder (P), does telepsychiatry follow-up (I), compared to in-person visits (C), improve adherence (O) within 6 months (T)?
15. In adults with substance use disorder (P), does peer-support group participation (I), compared to standard counseling (C), improve relapse prevention (O) within 1 year (T)?

Women’s Health

16. In pregnant women (P), does group prenatal care (I), compared to traditional care (C), improve maternal outcomes (O) within delivery (T)?
17. In postpartum women (P), does nurse-led lactation support (I), compared to routine discharge instructions (C), improve breastfeeding duration (O) within 6 months (T)?
18. In women with gestational diabetes (P), does telehealth glucose monitoring (I), compared to standard care (C), improve maternal-fetal outcomes (O) by delivery (T)?
19. In perimenopausal women (P), does hormone replacement therapy (I), compared to lifestyle interventions (C), reduce hot flash frequency (O) within 3 months (T)?
20. In women with recurrent UTIs (P), does cranberry supplementation (I), compared to antibiotics (C), reduce infection recurrence (O) within 12 months (T)?

Geriatrics

21. In elderly patients in nursing homes (P), does fall-prevention education (I), compared to routine care (C), reduce falls (O) within 12 months (T)?
22. In older adults with dementia (P), does music therapy (I), compared to no intervention (C), reduce agitation (O) within 6 months (T)?
23. In elderly patients with depression (P), does group therapy (I), compared to pharmacologic therapy alone (C), improve mood scores (O) within 3 months (T)?
24. In seniors with mobility issues (P), does home exercise (I), compared to no intervention (C), improve balance (O) within 6 months (T)?
25. In older adults with chronic pain (P), does acupuncture (I), compared to opioids (C), improve pain control (O) within 12 weeks (T)?

Chronic Diseases

26. In patients with heart failure (P), does telemonitoring (I), compared to standard follow-up (C), reduce readmissions (O) within 30 days (T)?
27. In COPD patients (P), does pulmonary rehabilitation (I), compared to routine care (C), improve quality of life (O) within 12 weeks (T)?
28. In patients with chronic kidney disease (P), does nurse-led education (I), compared to standard care (C), delay dialysis initiation (O) within 1 year (T)?
29. In patients with diabetes (P), does a low-carb diet (I), compared to low-fat diet (C), improve HbA1c levels (O) within 6 months (T)?
30. In hypertensive patients (P), does a DASH diet (I), compared to standard diet (C), lower blood pressure (O) within 3 months (T)?

Nursing Workforce & Practice

31. In hospital nurses (P), does flexible scheduling (I), compared to fixed scheduling (C), improve job satisfaction (O) within 6 months (T)?
32. In new graduate nurses (P), does a mentorship program (I), compared to no mentorship (C), improve retention rates (O) within 1 year (T)?
33. In nurses working night shifts (P), does scheduled naps (I), compared to no naps (C), improve alertness (O) within 3 months (T)?
34. In nurses exposed to high patient ratios (P), does increased staffing (I), compared to current ratios (C), reduce burnout (O) within 12 months (T)?
35. In ICU nurses (P), does resilience training (I), compared to no training (C), reduce compassion fatigue (O) within 6 months (T)?

Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

36. In hospitalized patients (P), does hourly rounding (I), compared to routine care (C), reduce falls (O) within 3 months (T)?
37. In surgical patients (P), does pre-op checklists (I), compared to no checklists (C), reduce surgical complications (O) within 30 days (T)?
38. In patients with central lines (P), does nurse-led bundle protocols (I), compared to standard care (C), reduce CLABSI rates (O) within 6 months (T)?
39. In ICU patients (P), does daily sedation interruption (I), compared to continuous sedation (C), reduce ventilator days (O) within 14 days (T)?
40. In post-op patients (P), does enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols (I), compared to routine care (C), reduce LOS (O) within 30 days (T)?

Technology & Telehealth

41. In rural patients with diabetes (P), does telehealth follow-up (I), compared to in-person visits (C), improve glycemic control (O) within 6 months (T)?
42. In elderly patients (P), does remote monitoring (I), compared to routine visits (C), reduce ER visits (O) within 12 months (T)?
43. In mental health patients (P), does telepsychiatry (I), compared to in-person therapy (C), improve adherence (O) within 3 months (T)?
44. In stroke patients (P), does telestroke intervention (I), compared to in-hospital neurologist care (C), improve treatment times (O) within 1 hour (T)?
45. In surgical patients (P), does video follow-up (I), compared to in-person post-op visits (C), improve patient satisfaction (O) within 30 days (T)?

Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

45. In hospitalized patients (P), does hourly rounding by nurses (I), compared to routine rounding (C), reduce patient falls (O) within 3 months (T)?
46. In surgical units (P), does the use of a standardized surgical safety checklist (I), compared to no checklist (C), decrease postoperative complications (O) within 6 months (T)?
47. In adult inpatients (P), does implementing a barcoded medication administration system (I), compared to manual verification (C), reduce medication errors (O) within 1 year (T)?
48. In hospitalized patients (P), does bedside shift reporting (I), compared to traditional nurse handoff (C), improve patient satisfaction (O) within 6 months (T)?
49. In patients with central lines (P), does nurse-led CLABSI prevention bundles (I), compared to standard care (C), reduce infection rates (O) within 6 months (T)?
50. In acute care settings (P), does the use of rapid response teams (I), compared to standard nurse escalation (C), reduce code blue events (O) within 12 months (T)?
51. In older adults admitted to hospitals (P), does fall risk assessment and prevention protocols (I), compared to no structured assessment (C), reduce falls (O) within 3 months (T)?
52. In hospitalized surgical patients (P), does enhanced recovery after surgery protocols (I), compared to standard protocols (C), shorten hospital stay (O) within 6 months (T)?
53. In hospitalized patients (P), does use of pressure ulcer prevention bundles (I), compared to routine care (C), reduce pressure injury incidence (O) within 6 months (T)?
54. In nursing units (P), does implementing just-in-time training (I), compared to annual training only (C), improve staff compliance with infection prevention protocols (O) within 6 months (T)?
55. In patients with sepsis (P), does early warning scoring systems (I), compared to physician notification based on clinical suspicion (C), improve early diagnosis (O) within 12 months (T)?
56. In hospitalized patients (P), does hourly rounding by nursing assistants (I), compared to nurse-only rounding (C), reduce patient call light use (O) within 3 months (T)?
57. In acute care patients (P), does use of electronic medication reconciliation (I), compared to paper-based reconciliation (C), reduce adverse drug events (O) within 6 months (T)?
58. In hospital units (P), does staff huddle implementation (I), compared to no huddles (C), improve interdisciplinary communication (O) within 3 months (T)?
59. In inpatient psychiatric settings (P), does use of de-escalation training for nurses (I), compared to no training (C), reduce patient restraints (O) within 12 months (T)?
60. In surgical units (P), does implementing preoperative patient education (I), compared to routine information (C), reduce surgical site infections (O) within 6 months (T)?

Pediatrics

61. In pediatric asthma patients (P), does a nurse-led asthma education program (I), compared to standard care (C), reduce ER visits (O) within 6 months (T)?
62. In children receiving vaccinations (P), does the use of distraction techniques (I), compared to no distraction (C), reduce procedural pain (O) immediately (T)?
63. In overweight children (P), does participation in a structured physical activity program (I), compared to routine counseling (C), reduce BMI (O) within 12 months (T)?
64. In school-aged children with ADHD (P), does behavioral therapy (I), compared to medication alone (C), improve classroom performance (O) within 6 months (T)?
65. In pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes (P), does use of continuous glucose monitors (I), compared to finger-stick monitoring (C), improve HbA1c control (O) within 6 months (T)?
66. In hospitalized children (P), does pet therapy (I), compared to no therapy (C), reduce anxiety (O) during hospitalization (T)?
67. In children undergoing surgery (P), does preoperative play therapy (I), compared to routine education (C), reduce postoperative anxiety (O) within 1 week (T)?
68. In infants at risk for SIDS (P), does parental education on safe sleep practices (I), compared to no education (C), reduce incidence of unsafe sleep practices (O) within 3 months (T)?
69. In children with autism (P), does structured occupational therapy (I), compared to unstructured play (C), improve social interaction skills (O) within 6 months (T)?
70. In pediatric oncology patients (P), does music therapy (I), compared to standard care (C), reduce perceived pain (O) during procedures (T)?
71. In children with asthma (P), does school-based asthma action plans (I), compared to no plan (C), reduce absenteeism (O) within 12 months (T)?
72. In school-aged children (P), does a nutrition education program (I), compared to no intervention (C), improve healthy eating habits (O) within 6 months (T)?
73. In pediatric trauma patients (P), does trauma-informed nursing care (I), compared to standard care (C), reduce psychological distress (O) within 3 months (T)?
74. In children with obesity (P), does family-based lifestyle intervention (I), compared to child-only intervention (C), reduce BMI (O) within 12 months (T)?
75. In pediatric patients (P), does nurse-led parental education (I), compared to routine discharge instructions (C), improve medication adherence (O) within 1 month (T)?

Maternal & Women’s Health

76. In pregnant women (P), does group prenatal care (I), compared to individual care (C), reduce preterm birth rates (O) within 12 months (T)?
77. In postpartum women (P), does nurse-led depression screening (I), compared to no structured screening (C), improve early detection of postpartum depression (O) within 3 months (T)?
78. In breastfeeding mothers (P), does lactation consultant support (I), compared to routine postpartum care (C), increase breastfeeding duration (O) within 6 months (T)?
79. In women with gestational diabetes (P), does continuous glucose monitoring (I), compared to finger-stick testing (C), improve glycemic control (O) within 3 months (T)?
80. In pregnant women (P), does prenatal yoga (I), compared to routine care (C), reduce stress and anxiety (O) within pregnancy (T)?
81. In women with preeclampsia (P), does early postpartum follow-up (I), compared to standard follow-up (C), improve blood pressure control (O) within 6 weeks (T)?
82. In postpartum women (P), does nurse-led home visits (I), compared to phone follow-up (C), improve breastfeeding success (O) within 1 month (T)?
83. In pregnant women (P), does education on safe sleep practices (I), compared to routine education (C), improve infant safe sleep practices (O) within 3 months postpartum (T)?
84. In women undergoing C-section (P), does use of enhanced recovery protocols (I), compared to standard recovery (C), reduce length of hospital stay (O) within 1 month (T)?
85. In women with PCOS (P), does lifestyle counseling (I), compared to medication-only management (C), improve fertility outcomes (O) within 12 months (T)?
86. In pregnant women (P), does telehealth prenatal visits (I), compared to traditional in-person care (C), improve patient satisfaction (O) within 9 months (T)?
87. In women experiencing infertility (P), does nurse-led fertility counseling (I), compared to physician-only counseling (C), improve psychological wellbeing (O) within 6 months (T)?
88. In mothers of premature infants (P), does kangaroo care (I), compared to incubator care (C), improve bonding and breastfeeding rates (O) within 1 month (T)?
89. In pregnant women (P), does use of mobile health apps (I), compared to no digital support (C), improve prenatal care adherence (O) within 9 months (T)?
90. In women undergoing labor induction (P), does ambulation (I), compared to bed rest (C), reduce length of labor (O) within delivery (T)?

Nursing Education & Professional Development

91. In nursing students (P), does simulation-based training (I), compared to lecture-only teaching (C), improve clinical competency (O) within 1 semester (T)?
92. In novice nurses (P), does mentorship programs (I), compared to no mentorship (C), improve job retention (O) within 12 months (T)?
93. In nursing students (P), does virtual reality simulation (I), compared to standard simulation (C), improve skill acquisition (O) within 1 semester (T)?
94. In newly graduated nurses (P), does residency programs (I), compared to standard orientation (C), improve transition to practice (O) within 12 months (T)?
95. In nursing faculty (P), does interprofessional teaching collaboration (I), compared to faculty-only teaching (C), improve teaching effectiveness (O) within 6 months (T)?
96. In nursing students (P), does flipped classroom learning (I), compared to traditional lecture (C), improve exam performance (O) within 1 semester (T)?
97. In nurses pursuing DNP programs (P), does structured writing support (I), compared to no support (C), improve completion of scholarly projects (O) within 12 months (T)?
98. In nurses (P), does continuing education in cultural competence (I), compared to no training (C), improve patient satisfaction scores (O) within 6 months (T)?
99. In nursing students (P), does interprofessional education (I), compared to nursing-only education (C), improve collaboration skills (O) within 1 semester (T)?
100. In new graduate nurses (P), does resilience training (I), compared to no training (C), reduce burnout (O) within 12 months (T)?

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