The nurse is caring for a 19-year-old trauma patient paralyzed from the neck down. He is alert and oriented, requires assistance with ADLs, and keeps his spirits up with frequent visitors. A priority for the nurse is

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Clinical judgment is perceptive understanding of a situation based on knowledge, empirical data (data that can be observed or experienced), theory, and scientific inquiry. Clinical judgment requires a series of decisions based on changing observations and collected data. Patient safety is a nurse's priority. Watching and preventing skin breakdown are the priorities for an immobile patient. Hourly rounding, nutritional status, and ensuring that the patient is kept busy are important but of lower priority.

The Nurse Is Caring for a 19-Year-Old Trauma Patient Paralyzed