Nursing Guide

Using PICO Search in EBSCO Databases

PICO is an acronym that describes a process for helping health professionals formulate a clinical question before starting a search.

The clinical question needs to identify:

• Population or problem we intend to study
• Intervention or treatment we plan to use
• Comparison of one intervention to another
• Outcome we anticipate

All EBSCO databases, including CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE with Full Text, Alt HealthWatch, and SPORTDiscus with Full Text, support this searching style by providing a unique search box for filling in the separate PICO elements. This feature helps researchers reduce their search query into a succinct statement and defines specific keywords.

Creating a PICO Search

In the following example, the researcher wants to know "In newborns experiencing pain, is there evidence to suggest that skin to skin contact is more effective than administering oral sucrose to reduce pain?"

To search using PICO:

1. On an EBSCO Database search screen (such as CINAHL Complete) (basic  or advanced), click the PICO Search link below the search box.
   
    
2. Reduce your question into specific keywords and enter them in the PICO search box fields.
   Note: The (P)opulation and (I)ntervention fields must have terms entered. The (C)omparison and (O)utcome fields are optional for searching.
   
    
3. After entering your terms, click Submit.
   
    
4. Your results are displayed.

For more information on PICO, along with additional examples of PICO questions, see "Forming Focused Questions with PICO: About PICO" from the University of North Carolina's Health Sciences Library.