Priority
The most urgent patient or task requiring immediate attention
Definition
Priority refers to the ranking of patients, problems, or interventions by urgency and importance. Prioritization is a core nursing competency and a central NCLEX theme.
Common Prioritization Frameworks
- ABCs: Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
- Maslow's hierarchy: Physiologic needs first, then safety, love/belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization.
- Acute vs chronic: Acute usually higher priority.
- Stable vs unstable: Unstable first.
- Expected vs unexpected: Unexpected findings warrant attention.
- Nursing process: Assess before intervene.
Common Priority Questions
'Which patient would the nurse see first?' 'What is the priority nursing action?' 'Which finding requires immediate notification?' Start with ABCs, then unstable/unexpected, then safety, then chronic/expected.
NCLEX Relevance
Prioritization is the #1 tested competency. Apply ABCs and Maslow systematically.