Which principle prioritizes acute needs before chronic conditions?

• A. Actual before potential
• B. Systemic before local
• C. Acute before chronic
• D. Trends before transient

Answer: (C)

Prioritizing urgent, immediate needs over long-term concerns is the idea being tested. In patient care, addressing acute problems first stabilizes the patient, prevents deterioration, and makes safe care possible. Once stabilization is achieved, attention can turn to chronic conditions and long-term management. So, focusing on acute issues before chronic ones best fits this principle. The other options describe different ways of prioritizing—current state versus potential future, system-wide versus local focus, or trends versus transient changes—that don’t address the urgency of immediate risk.