DNP Module 2 Assessment: Project Proposal, PICOT & IRB Planning
2026 |Galen
1. What does the ‘I’ represent in the PICOT format used for evidence-based
practice questions?
A. Investigation
B. Integration
C. Implementation
D. Intervention or Issue
Answer: D
Rationale: In the PICOT mnemonic, ‘I’ stands for the Intervention or clinical issue of
interest being addressed.
2. Which component of PICOT refers to the specific group of patients or subjects
to be studied?
A. I (Intervention)
B. P (Population)
C. C (Comparison)
D. O (Outcome)
Answer: B
Rationale: ‘P’ stands for Population or Patient, representing the specific group or problem
to be studied.
,3. In a DNP project, what is the primary purpose of the ‘Comparison’ element in
PICOT?
A. To identify the budget needed for the project
B. To list the demographic variables of the staff
C. To compare different nursing schools
D. To evaluate the results against a standard or current practice
Answer: D
Rationale: The Comparison (C) element identifies the current standard of care or the
alternative against which the intervention is measured.
4. Which of the following is an example of an ‘Outcome’ in a PICOT question?
A. Implementation of a new handwashing protocol
B. Registered nurses in an ICU setting
C. Reduced rate of hospital-acquired infections
D. Comparison with standard care
Answer: C
Rationale: The Outcome (O) is the measurable result or effect that the intervention is
expected to achieve.
5. The ‘T’ in PICOT is often used to define what aspect of the project?
A. Theory
B. Technology
C. Target
D. Timeframe
Answer: D
Rationale: ‘T’ stands for Time or Timeframe, specifying the duration over which the
intervention and outcomes are measured.
, 6. Which IRB review category is appropriate for projects involving minimal risk,
such as surveys or public observation?
A. Non-Human Subjects Research
B. Expedited Review
C. Full Board Review
D. Exempt Review
Answer: D
Rationale: Exempt review is for research involving no more than minimal risk and fits
specific categories like surveys or educational tests.
7. What is the primary role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
A. To provide funding for clinical research
B. To write the project proposal for the student
C. To ensure the ethical protection of human subjects
D. To critique the statistical methods of the project
Answer: C
Rationale: The IRB’s fundamental mission is to ensure that human subjects are protected
and that the research is ethical.
8. In the context of a DNP project, what is ‘Quality Improvement’ (QI)?
A. A systematic process to improve clinical outcomes and system performance
B. A method to generate new generalizable knowledge
C. A type of randomized controlled trial
D. The same as human subjects research in all legal aspects
Answer: A
Rationale: QI focuses on improving local internal processes and outcomes rather than
producing generalizable scientific knowledge.
2026 |Galen
1. What does the ‘I’ represent in the PICOT format used for evidence-based
practice questions?
A. Investigation
B. Integration
C. Implementation
D. Intervention or Issue
Answer: D
Rationale: In the PICOT mnemonic, ‘I’ stands for the Intervention or clinical issue of
interest being addressed.
2. Which component of PICOT refers to the specific group of patients or subjects
to be studied?
A. I (Intervention)
B. P (Population)
C. C (Comparison)
D. O (Outcome)
Answer: B
Rationale: ‘P’ stands for Population or Patient, representing the specific group or problem
to be studied.
,3. In a DNP project, what is the primary purpose of the ‘Comparison’ element in
PICOT?
A. To identify the budget needed for the project
B. To list the demographic variables of the staff
C. To compare different nursing schools
D. To evaluate the results against a standard or current practice
Answer: D
Rationale: The Comparison (C) element identifies the current standard of care or the
alternative against which the intervention is measured.
4. Which of the following is an example of an ‘Outcome’ in a PICOT question?
A. Implementation of a new handwashing protocol
B. Registered nurses in an ICU setting
C. Reduced rate of hospital-acquired infections
D. Comparison with standard care
Answer: C
Rationale: The Outcome (O) is the measurable result or effect that the intervention is
expected to achieve.
5. The ‘T’ in PICOT is often used to define what aspect of the project?
A. Theory
B. Technology
C. Target
D. Timeframe
Answer: D
Rationale: ‘T’ stands for Time or Timeframe, specifying the duration over which the
intervention and outcomes are measured.
, 6. Which IRB review category is appropriate for projects involving minimal risk,
such as surveys or public observation?
A. Non-Human Subjects Research
B. Expedited Review
C. Full Board Review
D. Exempt Review
Answer: D
Rationale: Exempt review is for research involving no more than minimal risk and fits
specific categories like surveys or educational tests.
7. What is the primary role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
A. To provide funding for clinical research
B. To write the project proposal for the student
C. To ensure the ethical protection of human subjects
D. To critique the statistical methods of the project
Answer: C
Rationale: The IRB’s fundamental mission is to ensure that human subjects are protected
and that the research is ethical.
8. In the context of a DNP project, what is ‘Quality Improvement’ (QI)?
A. A systematic process to improve clinical outcomes and system performance
B. A method to generate new generalizable knowledge
C. A type of randomized controlled trial
D. The same as human subjects research in all legal aspects
Answer: A
Rationale: QI focuses on improving local internal processes and outcomes rather than
producing generalizable scientific knowledge.
