Prioritization & Delegation Guide
NCLEX Prioritization & Delegation Success
Many NCLEX questions require you to decide which patient to see first or which tasks to delegate. These questions test your clinical judgment, understanding of scope of practice, and ability to prioritize care based on patient acuity and safety considerations.
Key Concepts:
- • ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) priority
- • Maslow's hierarchy of needs
- • Actual vs. potential problems
Success Factors:
- • Understanding scope of practice
- • Patient safety prioritization
- • Systematic elimination process
1Prioritization Framework
Use the ABCs and Maslow's hierarchy. Address airway and breathing problems before circulation; attend to physiological needs before psychosocial concerns. Compare acute vs chronic conditions and actual vs potential problems when deciding priority.
ABC Priority Framework
Airway - Highest Priority
Airway obstruction, choking, severe allergic reactions
Always see first - life-threatening
Breathing - Second Priority
Respiratory distress, pneumothorax, severe asthma
See after airway issues
Circulation - Third Priority
Hemorrhage, cardiac arrhythmias, shock
Address after airway and breathing
Maslow's Hierarchy Application
2Delegation Principles
Know the scope of practice for Registered Nurses, Licensed/Enrolled Nurses and Assistants in Nursing. Delegating appropriately protects patient safety and ensures tasks are completed efficiently.
Scope of Practice Guidelines
Registered Nurse (RN)
- Assessment and nursing diagnosis
- Medication administration
- Patient teaching and discharge planning
- Complex wound care
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Basic medication administration
- Routine wound care
- Data collection
- Reinforcement of teaching
Assistant in Nursing (AIN)
- Activities of daily living
- Vital signs (stable patients)
- Ambulation assistance
- Basic comfort measures
Delegation Decision Framework
Can Delegate:
- • Stable patients with predictable outcomes
- • Routine, standardized procedures
- • Tasks within delegatee's scope of practice
- • Non-complex patient care activities
Cannot Delegate:
- • Initial patient assessments
- • Nursing diagnosis and care planning
- • Patient education and discharge teaching
- • Unstable patients requiring clinical judgment
Master Prioritization & Delegation with NAI
Follow the nursing process (ADPIE), eliminate clearly incorrect answers, think about patient safety and use common sense. Practicing these scenarios will improve your ability to prioritize and delegate effectively.
ABC Framework
Systematic priority assessment
Scope Mastery
Safe delegation practices
Quick Decision
Efficient elimination strategies
NCLEX Success
Proven question strategies
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