determining priority

* a b c ' s*

best way of determining priority - airway, breathing, and circulation.

any of those pts in resp distress? you'd go see them first!

i hope this helps- envisioning the pts and assignment is a good one to try, but always remember you abc's and you'll do fine.

good luck!

meghan

I am using Mosby book, prioritization,delegation & assingment. I have been doing saunders for about 6wks now and now, just a few days away from taking my boards, i'm doing this book. It seems to be summing everything up for me.

Use ABC's, and Maslows to determine...........and if you still have trouble go with the patient that is the most critical and cannot wait!!!

Heres how I broke it down: ABCSFP air, breath, circ, safe, fluids, pain.....

1. Basic ABC's

2. Acute conditions (a matter of life and death) over non-acute/chronic conditions

3. Unstable VS. stable conditions (those clients who had undergone procedures, surgeries during the last 24 hours, ORGAN INVOLVED-take note, which organ is the most important among the choices0

4. Separate "Clean" patients (those whose immune system are compromised) from "dirty" patients(those with infectious conditions)

5. REMEMBER Maslow's hierarchy of NEEDS, start with the very basic(such as food, water, pain...)

6. Home visits- go first to clients who had recent procedures/post-operative AND definitely visit first those considered "clean" and visit last those clients who are infectious

Newly admitted to floor from ER vs someone there for a few days and stable.

Suebird :)