Priority Question (Med/Surg Midterm)

NICURN2013 · Mar 2, 2011

Anyone??

CCL RN, RN · Mar 2, 2011

The question is too vague...

Servingshots · Mar 2, 2011

Don't assume any extra information that's not there. That was my biggest problem with exams but with this question I would go with pain. If the question had more detail it might change the answer.

NICURN2013 · Mar 2, 2011

I thought it was too vague, but that's what it said. Hopefully it'll make more sense on the test today.

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Mar 2, 2011

Can you guys give me your thoughts?? I'd greatly appreciate it!! My midterm is tomorrow............ I'm NERVOUS!!

ABC's/Maslow when prioritizing.

BiohazardBetty · Mar 6, 2011

Hi everyone...
I was going over my Med/Surg Midterm "points to concentrate on" and I have a question about priority.
We've been taught ABC's, then pain...
SO... the bullet says: Priority concerning client care, infection vs. pain
I would think it would vary between different patient. I mean the severity of an infection can greatly vary. I think it I had a patient with sepsis, I would choose to them as a priority over a patient with a pain level of 7/10. However, if I had a patient with a pain level of 9/10 and a patient with a viral infection.. I would chose the patient with the pain level of 9/10.
Can you guys give me your thoughts?? I'd greatly appreciate it!! My midterm is tomorrow............ I'm NERVOUS!!

We were taught to choose what would kill the patient first- pain probably isn't gonna kill them (even though TO THE PATIENT this is the most pressing issue), but an infection may. This is kind of hard for me to understand since pain is physiological and infection is safety and security, but putting it in perspective of what will kill them first (albeit morbid) has helped me the most.

queenjulie, RN · Mar 6, 2011

I think it I had a patient with sepsis, I would choose to them as a priority over a patient with a pain level of 7/10. However, if I had a patient with a pain level of 9/10 and a patient with a viral infection.. I would chose the patient with the pain level of 9/10.

I would go with infection as the first priority: Pain is on the second level, safety, even though it seems so urgent. An infection is a first-level, physiological issue. (FWIW, in real life, if it was a mild infection vs. a 9/10 pain patient, I'd pass morphine before I'd give them a PO antibiotic. Maybe that's wrong, but it seems cruel to make a patient suffer when the other patient is not in anything like immediate danger. But I'd make sure to get them the antibiotic within the correct time.)

jojonightengaleGN · Mar 6, 2011

Hi everyone...
I was going over my Med/Surg Midterm "points to concentrate on" and I have a question about priority.
We've been taught ABC's, then pain...
SO... the bullet says: Priority concerning client care, infection vs. pain
I would think it would vary between different patient. I mean the severity of an infection can greatly vary. I think it I had a patient with sepsis, I would choose to them as a priority over a patient with a pain level of 7/10. However, if I had a patient with a pain level of 9/10 and a patient with a viral infection.. I would chose the patient with the pain level of 9/10.
Can you guys give me your thoughts?? I'd greatly appreciate it!! My midterm is tomorrow............ I'm NERVOUS!!

I was always taught that NO ONE ever died of pain.

Go with ABC's first...

My suggestion!!

Good Luck!

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Mar 7, 2011

I was taught to ask myself, "what's going to kill them first?" then look at what you're trying to figure out. do people die from pain? no. yes, I realize you're in pain, but you're not going to die from it. One of our jobs as nurses is to minimize infection and INFECTION is what will kill a patient.