What it means
Putting needs in order of importance. Nurses use frameworks to choose: airway, breathing and circulation (ABCs) come first; physical needs come before others on Maslow's hierarchy; sudden (acute) problems before long-term (chronic) ones; unstable clients before stable ones; and actual problems before risks. Many exam questions ask which client to see first or which action is the priority.
For the nurse
Look for the finding that could cause harm soonest if left alone. Expected findings for a client's condition usually come lower than new or unexpected changes.
Remember it
ABC first, then the rest.
At a glance
| Spanish | priorizar |
|---|---|
| Also written | prioritization, prioritizing, prioritizes |
Related terms
clinical judgment
The way a nurse notices, makes sense of and acts on information about a client to decide on the best care.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
triage
Sorting clients by how urgently they need care, to decide who is seen first.
acuity
How ill a client is and how much nursing care they need; in an eye exam, how sharply a person sees.