Prioritizing Care

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Overview

• Priority
 Given attention before competing
alternatives
• Prioritizing care
 Helps nurses manage time
 Establish order

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Identifying What to Prioritize

• Qualities that impact client's view of

nursing care
 Effectiveness: doing the right things
 Efficiency: doing things right
• Nurses need to:
 Limit distractions, interruptions
 Treat all clients with respect, dignity

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Assessment

• Observe for cues about staff emotions

• Make quick safety check of clients
• Become aware of clients at risk
• Make note of time constraints on routine
responsibilities
• Know how many, what level of nursing
staff available for delegation of tasks

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Assessment, continued

• Note resources on unit

• Client preferences
• ABCs: airway, breathing, circulation

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Nursing Process

• Cluster assessment data to identify

diagnoses
• Select interventions to achieve client
outcomes
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs
 Organize client needs
 Highest priorities at bottom level

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Organize client needs

 Needs motivate behaviors
• Highest priorities at bottom level
• Think critically about order of resolving
problems

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs,
continued

• Low priority
 UAP could help with these problems
• Medium priority
 Unhealthy physical or emotional
consequences
• High priority
 Life-threatening situations

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Time Constraints

• Deadlines
• Administration of scheduled medications
• Planning to do things at expected times to
avoid potential negative consequences for
clients

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Ranking Activities

• Priority 1 or must do
• Priority 2 or should do
 Not essential
• Priority 3 or nice to do
 Only after priority 2, 3 actions have been
done

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Triage

• Identifying priorities for implementing care

• Emergent (or immediate)
 For life-threatening issues
• Urgent (or delayed)
 Serious conditions where delay would not
result in life-threatening situation
• Nonurgent (or minor)
 Client can ambulate, is stable

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Nurse Self-Care

• Short breaks need to be a priority

 "I'll go when I finish this" sometimes
never-ending
• Quality time to refresh, reenergize, take
care of body functions
• Break up intensity of work environment

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Delegation

• LPNs, UAPs
• Legal responsibilities
 Task must be within scope of practice for
staff asked to do it

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved
 Inappropriate Delegation

• Tasks outside of scope of practice

• Accountability still on nurse who delegated
task
• Immediate ramifications for client
 Intervention done again
 May result in harm

Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning Copyright © 2015, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Volume Two, Second Edition All Rights Reserved