The nurse critically appraises a randomized controlled trial comparing treatment outcomes of a novel bandaging system for patients with chronic venous leg ulcers (step #3 of the EBP process). Which is the best method to ensure baseline equivalency of this study?
1) Ensuring that clinicians are unaware of whether the bandage they are applying is the experimental or control product
2) Randomly assigning participants to the "new bandage" intervention group and the "usual care" control group
3) Rigorously screening potential participants to ensure they have as many characteristics in common as possible
4) Setting strict criteria around the character and severity of ulcers that will be treated