A nurse is in the acute care unit caring for a 67-year-old patient with a varicose ulcer in the right lower leg. The wound has been healing well but will require a dressing change during the shift. What priority level should the nurse classify this problem?
a. High priority
b. Low priority
c. Mid priority
d. Intermediate priority
D
Intermediate priority problems are nonemergency, non–life-threatening actual or potential needs that the patient and family are experiencing. Anticipating teaching needs of patients related to a new drug or taking measures to decrease postoperative complications are examples of interme-diate priorities. High priority is an immediate threat to a patient's survival or safety, such as a physiological episode of obstructed airway, loss of consciousness, or a psychological episode of an anxiety attack. Low priority problems are actual or potential problems that may not be directly related to the patient's illness or disease. They are often related to the patient's developmental and/or long-term health care needs (e.g., teaching for self-care in the home before discharge of a patient who has just been admitted to the hospital). There is no mid priority label.
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