NURSING TEST TAKING STRATEGY V: Questions that Require Prioritizing

NURSING TEST TAKING STRATEGY V: Questions that Require Prioritizing

A. Questions in the examination may require you to use the skill of prioritizing nursing actions.

B. Look for the key words in the question that indicate the need to prioritize.

Common Key words that indicate the Need to Prioritize
Best
Essential
First
Highest Priority
Immediate
Initial
Most important
Next
Primary
Vital

C. Remember, when a question requires prioritization, all options may be correct, and you need to determine the correct order of action.

NURSING TEST TAKING STRATEGY V: airway, breathing, and circulation and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory


D. Guidelines to use include the ABC’s airway, breathing, and circulation; Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, and the steps of the nursing process.

E. The ABCs
1. Use the ABC’s – airway, breathing, and circulation – when selecting answer or determining the order of priority.
2. Remember the order of priority: airway, breathing, and circulation.
3. Airway is always the first priority.


Practice Question: Use of the ABC’s
The client with a diagnosis of cancer is receiving morphine sulphate 10 mg subcutaneously every 3 to 4 hours for pain. When preparing the plan of care for the client, the nurse includes which priority action?
1. Monitor stools.
2. Monitor the urine output.
3. Encourage the client to cough and deep breath.
4. Encourage fluid intake.
Answer: 3
Test-Taking Strategy: Use the ABC’s - airway, breathing, and circulation – as a guide to direct you to the correct option. Recall that morphine sulphate suppresses the cough reflex and the

F. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory.

1. Use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory as a guide to prioritize.

2. Physiological needs are the priority; therefore select an option or determine the order of priority by addressing physiological needs first.

3. When a physiological need is not addressed in the question or noted in one of the options, continue to use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory as a guide and look for the option that addresses safety.

Practice Question: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
A nurse is reviewing the plan of care for a pregnant client with a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia. Which nursing diagnosis of sickle cell anemia. Which nursing diagnosis, if stated on the plan of care, would the nurse select as receiving the highest priority?
1. Anxiety
2. Ineffective coping
3.Disturbed body image
4.Deficient fluid volume
Answer: 4
Test-taking Strategy: Note they key words highest priority. Use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory to prioritize, remembering that physiological needs come first.. Using this guideline will direct you to option 4. Deficient fluid volume is a physiological need and is the priority nursing diagnosis. Remember, physiological needs are the priority.