DNP 602 Module 2 PICO and Database Search Strategy Discussion Example

Reviewed by Ingrid Vasterling, MSN, RN Arizona State University Updated October 2026

This DNP 602 Module 2 sample is the PICO and database search strategy discussion in Evaluating Research for Practice, a core research course in ASU's Doctor of Nursing Practice. ASU DNP 602 asks students in Module 2 to write a PICO question and explain which databases they used and how they searched. Writing as a Mesa labor and delivery nurse on the DNP women's health track, the composite author starts with a clinical problem: women with preeclampsia who never return for the blood pressure check recommended after discharge. She writes a PICO question comparing text-based home monitoring with an office visit, documents her PubMed and CINAHL strategy with subject headings, Boolean operators, limits and results, and replies to a classmate's search.

CourseDNP 602 Evaluating Research for Practice
ModuleModule 2
Paper typeDiscussion post with peer reply
LengthAbout 460 words
FormatDiscussion post with APA 7 citations
SchoolArizona State University
ProgramDNP
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for DNP 602 Module 2

1

Discussion Board: PICO Question and Database Search Strategy

Ninety-Two Percent Versus Forty-Four: A PICO Question and Search Strategy for Postpartum Blood Pressure Checks

Initial Post

The Clinical Problem

On my labor and delivery unit, women with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia are told to return to the clinic for a blood pressure check within a few days of discharge, because blood pressure often peaks after birth. Many never come. ACOG recommends that postpartum care begin with contact within the first three weeks and that women with hypertensive disorders receive earlier follow-up (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2018). I wanted to know whether checking blood pressure at home, with results sent by text, works better than asking new mothers to come back in person.

PICO Question

P: Postpartum women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

I: Text-based home blood pressure monitoring

C: Usual office-based blood pressure check

O: A blood pressure recorded within the first 10 days after birth

In postpartum women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, does text-based home blood pressure monitoring, compared with a usual office-based check, increase the proportion with any blood pressure documented in the first 10 postpartum days?

Databases and Strategy

PubMed was my first database because it indexes medical and obstetric journals and uses MeSH terms. I combined MeSH and keywords:

("Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced"[MeSH] OR preeclampsia OR "gestational hypertension") AND ("Postpartum Period"[MeSH] OR postpartum OR postnatal) AND ("Text Messaging"[MeSH] OR "remote monitoring" OR telemonitoring OR "home blood pressure")

With limits for English and the last ten years, this returned 112 results. Adding a filter for randomized controlled trials narrowed it to 14.

CINAHL was my second database because it indexes nursing journals and includes CINAHL Headings such as "Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced" and "Telehealth." A parallel search returned 46 results, many overlapping with PubMed but with several nursing implementation studies that PubMed missed.

I also checked the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews and found none specific to postpartum text monitoring.

What I Found

The most relevant study was a randomized trial of 206 women in which those assigned to text-based monitoring much more often had a reading on file within 10 days of birth than those asked to attend an office visit, 92.2% versus 43.7% (Hirshberg et al., 2018). A pilot trial of postpartum self-management with telemonitoring also found lower blood pressure at six weeks (Cairns et al., 2018). These results suggest my question is answerable and worth pursuing.

Reply to a Classmate

Grace, your PICO question on chlorhexidine bathing to prevent central line infections was clear and focused. I noticed your search used only keywords. Adding the MeSH term "Catheter-Related Infections" and the CINAHL heading for chlorhexidine might catch studies that use different wording, such as "bloodstream infection." It might also help to search Cochrane first, since a review on chlorhexidine bathing could save you time.

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). ACOG committee opinion no. 736: Optimizing postpartum care. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 131(5), e140-e150. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002633

Cairns, A. E., Tucker, K. L., Leeson, P., Mackillop, L. H., Santos, M., Velardo, C., Salvi, D., Mort, S., Mollison, J., Tarassenko, L., & McManus, R. J. (2018). Self-management of postnatal hypertension: The SNAP-HT trial. Hypertension, 72(2), 425-432. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.10911

Hirshberg, A., Downes, K., & Srinivas, S. (2018). Comparing standard office-based follow-up with text-based remote monitoring in the management of postpartum hypertension: A randomised clinical trial. BMJ Quality & Safety, 27(11), 871-877. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2018-007837

DNP 602 Module 2 instructions, in plain terms

The posted syllabus places the PICO and database search strategy board in Module 2, Framing Clinical Questions and Recognizing Research Evidence, after the introductions board in Module 1. It describes the board as creating a PICO question and discussing the databases used to find information related to it. Boards have two due dates, an initial post typically on Thursday and peer responses by Sunday night, and the two boards together are worth 10 of 100 points. Expect Canvas to ask for the PICO elements, the databases you chose and why, and search terms. Some sections also ask for the number of results. Since this question often grows into a DNP project, pick a problem from your own unit that you genuinely want solved.

How this DNP 602 Module 2 example is built

The post starts with a brief clinical problem and a guideline that shows why it matters. The PICO elements are listed separately before the full question is written. The search section names each database, explains why it was chosen, shows the actual search string with subject headings and Boolean operators, and reports limits and hit counts. A short section names the most relevant evidence found, showing that the question is answerable. The reply gives a classmate specific advice on subject headings and databases. The search string is shown exactly as typed, so a reader could rerun it and check the numbers, which is the standard for a reproducible search. Reasons for each database are given.

DNP 602 Module 2 rubric: what earns full marks

PICO discussions are typically graded on a well-formed PICO question with all elements, appropriate choice of databases with a rationale, a strategy that combines subject headings and keywords with Boolean logic, reporting of limits and results, and a helpful peer response, with APA citations. Faculty look for searches that are reproducible, which means showing the actual terms and filters used. Recognizing that different databases use different subject headings shows search literacy. Replies that suggest specific improvements to a classmate's strategy earn more credit than general praise. Posts that report how filters changed the number of results show an understanding of search precision that faculty value early in the course. A short note on the best evidence found also shows the question can be answered.

DNP 602 Module 2 help with common mistakes

PICO questions often fail on the outcome; "better care" cannot be measured. Choose a specific outcome. Another is a search described in general terms; show the exact string. Use both subject headings and keywords. Explain why you chose each database. Report how many results you found and how filters changed them. If you want help building a search strategy for your own PICO question, send it to the desk. Have a health sciences librarian look over your search, since ASU librarians can suggest subject headings you may have missed. Save your search history in PubMed so you can rerun it later.

Write yours, or have the desk draft it

This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.

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DNP 602 Module 2 questions, answered

Where can I find a free DNP 602 Module 2 sample paper?

The PICO and database search discussion is above in full: a postpartum blood pressure PICO question, PubMed and CINAHL strategies with subject headings and hit counts, key evidence and a reply.

What goes in the DNP 602 PICO discussion?

A PICO question with each element identified and a description of the databases and search strategy used to find evidence.

What databases should I use for a nursing PICO search?

Most nursing searches begin in PubMed and CINAHL and check Cochrane for reviews; choose databases that index your topic.

What is the difference between MeSH and keywords?

MeSH terms are PubMed's controlled vocabulary that group articles by concept; keywords search the words authors use, so combining both finds more.

When is the DNP 602 PICO discussion due?

The syllabus places it in Module 2, with the initial post typically due Thursday and peer responses by Sunday.