Integrating Priority Problems into the Peds and Adult Assessment

List is composed from the priority problem list. Goal: have nurses to think of priority problems while doing assessment.

You will note on your CWS that there are 6 addition terms on the left hand column—Fluid Asmnt, Life Cycle, Metabolic, Physical Regulation, Sensory, and Tissue Perfusion. Chart on these if they pertain to your patient. These were added so that all the Priority Problem list would be available from the assessment tab.

If you choose WNL, do not annotate any deficit. Your deficits should fit as closely as possible to one of the other statements on the list.

What are WNL? WNL are baseline standards of “well children”. You have to have measurable standards.

If you choose baseline, you should annotate all issues on admission, and then only baseline afterwards.

Click here to view what the baseline information was on admission.

RNs can refer to baseline information at any time to see if changes have occurred.

If you are unsure as to which problem to pick, click on the “Links” button on the top and scroll to “Priority Problem”

Definitions for each term

You can start Priority Problem here, or wait till you get to the Care Plan.

Once you go to the Care Plan, you will see the Problem Assessment which is transported from your assessment tab. If you didn’t start your priority problems from the assessment tab, you can review your problems and pick your top 2-3 problems for your shift.

You must do a pain assessment even if you choose WNL.