Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in Nursing
Maslow's hierarchy arranges human needs in five levels from physiological to self-actualisation. Nurses use it to prioritise care, meeting lower-level needs before higher ones.
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What you must know about Maslow's Hierarchy
The five levels (bottom to top) are: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation.
Physiological needs (air, water, food, elimination, sleep) must be met first.
Safety needs (security, shelter, freedom from harm) come after physiological needs.
Nurses use the hierarchy to prioritise care — always meet lower needs before higher ones.
Airway, breathing, and circulation are physiological and therefore top priority.
Self-actualisation (achieving full potential) is the highest and last need.
NMCN Exam Tips
How this topic appears in the NMCN exam
Use Maslow for "which patient/need should the nurse address FIRST" questions.
Physiological needs always outrank psychosocial needs in priority questions.
Combine with ABC — airway/breathing is physiological and takes priority.
Safety (e.g., preventing falls) comes before esteem or belonging needs.
Practice Question
Test yourself
Using Maslow's hierarchy, which of the following patient needs should the nurse prioritise FIRST?
Explanation
Difficulty breathing is a physiological need (the base of Maslow's hierarchy) and is life-threatening. Physiological needs must be met before safety, love/belonging, esteem, or self-actualisation needs.
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