Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 65%
Simulated
A nurse formulates several nursing diagnoses then prioritizes using Maslow's hierarchy. What nursing diagnosis should have the highest priority?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: Altered Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, physiological needs such as nutrition are the most basic and essential for survival. Without adequate nutrition, the body cannot function optimally, leading to various health complications. Therefore, addressing altered nutrition should be the top priority to ensure the patient's basic physiological needs are met. Choices B, C, and D are important but fall under higher levels of the hierarchy, focusing on psychological and safety needs. Ineffective coping, risk for falls, and impaired mobility can be addressed once the patient's basic physiological needs are addressed.