prioritizing

Nurses General Nursing

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I want to make sure that I'm thinking straight here. If I had a CHF and CVA patient, both showing acute symptoms, the CHF would be of higher priority right?

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Specializes in LTC.

Is this test question?

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No...I'm done with the school part besides my 3 days of clinical rotation left, but it was just something some of us students were disagreeing on. I said CHF was higher others said safety. So...now we're all wondering who is right or if we're both right.

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There is no right answer to this question. It all depends on what is going on w/ each patient @ that moment. If the CHF pt is SOB w/ /low O2 sat, he/she will be a priority. If the CVA pt has an acute change in mental or neuro status, he/she would then be the priority. The important thing is to look @ the over all picture that each patient presents, & to reassess @ intervals during the shift.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

remember CPR (ABC's) and Maslows. Breathing always trumps everything else.

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