Prioritization Frameworks (ABC, Maslow, Acute vs. Chronic)

When a question asks "which patient should the nurse see first," apply frameworks in this order: first airway, breathing, circulation (ABC) — an airway problem always outranks a breathing problem, which outranks a circulation problem. Next, acute beats chronic — a new, unexpected change outranks a stable, expected finding, even if the chronic condition sounds more severe on paper. Then unexpected/abnormal beats expected/normal — a post-op patient with an expected pain level of 6/10 is lower priority than a post-op patient with new confusion.