Question

You are assigned to care for three patients. Which patient would you see FIRST after receiving report? Consider which patient has the highest priority. Explain your answer based on Maslow’s Theory (Hierarchy).

• Patient #1 is complaining of incisional knee pain at level 6 out of 10, after a knee surgery.
• Patient #2 is complaining of difficulty catching his breath 4 hours after neck surgery.
• Patient #3 is complaining of being worried about lack of independence due to being confined to bed after a motor vehicle accident.

Answer 1

According to MASLOW'S THEORY, my order of priority would be:

• Patient #2 ( highest priority)
• Patient #1 (next in line)
• Patient #3 ( last priority)

Why Patient #2 :-

• According to MASLOW, physiological needs receive the highest priority i.e, oxygen, fluids, food, body temperature, excretion.
• In nursing terms - A - airway ; B - breathing ; C - Circulation  Always receive highest priority

Here, Patient #2, after a neck surgery, is complaining of difficulty in breathing - this may be an obstruction of airway due to a complication ( eg:- hemorrhage ) of that surgery.

​ Hence, Patient #2 has the highest priority.