The final capstone project is a culmination of the written research-based assignments completed throughout the course. Each written assignment contributes to the final Evidenced-Based Proposal paper. This is the first written assignment.

Think about what you have learned with regard to the five critical steps of evidence-based practice. In a formal paper of 500-750 words, address the following:

Part 1: Defining the Problem

1. Identify and describe one topic that may resolve a patient-care-quality problem or issue.
2. Draft a possible problem statement.
3. Describe a problem. Explain why it is a problem, and why it is significant to your discipline. Use the literature you gathered as support for why this is a problem in relation to your practice. The problem should focus on the resolution of an issue significant to improving patient care.
4. Draft a purpose statement in relation to your problem statement that states what you hope to accomplish if you implemented this project.

Part 2: Defining a Searchable, Answerable Question

From what you wrote about your problem and purpose, develop searchable questions using the PICOT format that will be the basis for your implementation plan. Word count is not relative in this section. Include evidence-based resources.

General Requirements:

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style

Practical Research: Planning and Design Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Practical Research: Planning and Design.

Electronic Resource

1. Asking Focused Questions

Read “Asking Focused Questions,” located on the CEBM: Centre for Evidence Based Medicine website.

http://www.cebm.net/?o=1036

2. Formulating a researchable question: A critical step for facilitating good clinical research

Read “Formulating a researchable question: A critical step for facilitating good clinical research,” by Aslam and Emmanuel from Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS (2010).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140151/

3. Navigating the Knowledge Base: The Road to Research

Read “Navigating the Knowledge Base: The Road to Research,” by Trochim (2006).

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/kbroad.htm

4. The Well-Built Clinical Question

Read “The Well-Built Clinical Question,” located on the Duke University Medical Center Library website.

http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/c.php?g=158201&p=1035584