Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
Nurses can apply this hierarchy to identify and prioritize patient needs, ensuring that basic physiological needs are met before addressing higher-order needs.
In nursing, assessing a patient's needs involves understanding where they fall within Maslow's Hierarchy. A comprehensive assessment can help nurses prioritize care by addressing fundamental physiological needs before considering psychological or social needs.
Stress often arises when fundamental needs are unmet. By using Maslow's Hierarchy, nurses can identify which levels of needs are contributing to a patient's stress, allowing for targeted interventions.
Using Maslow's Hierarchy as a guide, nurses can create care plans that systematically address patient needs, starting from the most fundamental to more complex psychosocial needs.
Maslow's Hierarchy provides a useful framework for nurses to deliver holistic care, ensuring a comprehensive approach that covers physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.