Basic Human Needs and Maslow's Hierarchy

Study Notes

Illness occurs when individuals struggle to independently meet basic needs.
Nurses play a crucial role in helping patients satisfy their needs and mitigating potential threats to their well-being.
Patient care should be based on patient needs.
Nurses must identify patient needs to appropriately tailor care.
Unmet needs indicate a problem requiring collaborative nursing, medical, and other relevant healthcare team efforts.

Maslow's hierarchy organizes human needs into a pyramid structure, with physiological needs at the base.
Physiological needs are the most fundamental and include oxygen, food, water, elimination, temperature control, rest, and comfort.
Safety and security needs follow and involve avoiding dangers, establishing safe environments.
Love and belonging needs relate to relationships and feelings of acceptance by others, like friendship, family, or intimacy.
Esteem needs focus on self-worth, accomplishment, recognition, and respect from others.
Self-actualization is the highest level in the pyramid; it refers to personal potential and striving to fulfill one's full potential.

Prioritizing patient needs is a cornerstone of effective nursing practice.
Nurses need to quickly assess patients in order of physiological importance
ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) and vital signs are the first things to address.
Mental status alterations and untreated medical conditions also need priority attention.
Pain management and urinary elimination are vital concerns.
Other health problems that don't fall into these categories can be addressed later.

Nurses determine priorities based on patient needs, considering life-threatening versus non-life-threatening situations.
Physiological needs are prioritized first.
An example of a life-threatening diagnosis is ineffective airway clearance(difficulty breathing)

Physiological needs are the most basic and vital.
These fundamental needs must be met before addressing higher-level needs.
Examples include air, food, water, shelter, warmth, sleep, and eliminating waste
In clinical settings, nurses frequently have to ensure these needs are met first (e.g. patient’s oxygen levels, hydration, nutrition)

Safety and security needs involve physical and emotional protection.
They need to be free from dangers and threats, establishing stability and safety in the environment.

Level 3 needs are crucial for social interactions
They include friendships, family, intimacy, and the feeling of belonging (e.g. being connected socially and emotionally).