Priority-Setting Frameworks — NCLEX Cheat Sheet
ABC → Maslow → acute → safety
👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team
🕐 Updated 2026-07-11
🏷️ Management of Care
🔖 Free to read, print, and share
Answer "first" from the base up: physiologic/ABCs before safety before psychosocial.
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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Priority-Setting Frameworks on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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📌Order Of Checks
Key facts
- 1. Airway → Breathing → Circulation
- 2. Maslow: physiologic before psychosocial
- 3. Acute over chronic
- 4. Unstable over stable
- 5. Actual over potential
- Sudden/unexpected change → assess first
- Trend worsening beats a single odd value
✨Quick Tip
1. Airway → Breathing → Circulation.
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