Work top-down: airway, breathing, and circulation problems first, then physical safety, then physiologic needs, then psychosocial and teaching needs.
ABC stands for airway, breathing, and circulation. A threat to any of these usually outranks pain, routine tasks, or teaching.
Maslow's hierarchy helps rank needs: physiologic needs and safety come before psychosocial and self-actualization needs once emergencies are ruled out.
Generally you prioritize unstable and new or acute findings over stable, chronic, or expected ones, and you follow the trend rather than a single value.
It is for nursing education and exam preparation only. Real prioritization depends on your full assessment, orders, scope of practice, and institutional policy.
These answers are for nursing education and exam practice only and do not provide patient-specific medical advice.
Scenario 1 of 6
Score: 0
Prioritization scenario
You are assigned four patients at the start of your shift. Which patient should you assess first?
Safety
For nursing education and exam preparation only. Real prioritization depends on your full assessment, orders, scope of practice, and institutional policy.
