What would the nurse's first priority be when prioritizing a client's care plan (based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs)?

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is theory that was proposed by Abraham Maslow in 1943. Maslow's hierarchy of needs are studied in psychology to determine the order in which humans need certain things.

The needs from bottom to top are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. The needs at the bottom should be fulfilled first. Pain relief is in the first tier of physiological.

The patient should be administered pain medication in order to fulfill the first need on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Placing wrist restraints would be the next tier, safety.