NURSING TEST TAKING STRATEGY V: G. Steps of the Nursing Process - PLANNING

V: Questions that Require Prioritizing

5. PLANNING

a. Planning questions require prioritizing nursing diagnosis, determining goals and outcome criteria for goals of care, developing the plan of care, and communicating and documenting the plan of care.

b. Regarding nursing diagnoses, remember that actual client problems rather than potential or at risk client problems will most likely be the priority.
c. Remember that this is a nursing examination and the answer to the question most likely involves something that is included in the nursing care plan, rather than the medical plan.

PRACTICE QUESTION: The Nursing Process – Planning
A nurse develops a plan of care for a client with a cataract. Which nursing diagnosis is the priority?
1. Fear related to lost of eyesight
2. Social isolation related to decrease ability to mobilize in the community.
3. Disturbed Sensory Perception (visual) related to ocular lens opacity.
4. Risk for injury related to decrease vision.
Answer: 3
Test-Taking Strategy: This question relates to planning nursing care and asks you to identify the priority nursing diagnosis. Use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory to answer the questions. Remembering that physiological needs are the priority will direct you to option 3. Although Risk for Injury is a potential rather than an actual problem, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, safety is the second priority. Fear and Social Isolation are psychosocial needs. Remember planning is the third step of the nursing process.