'Do no harm' is which ethical principle?

Appeared in: JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Explanation

The principle of non-maleficence is the ethical obligation to 'do no harm' and to avoid causing injury or suffering to patients.
This principle is a cornerstone of medical and nursing ethics, guiding practitioners to consider the potential for harm in all interventions.
It involves not only avoiding direct harm but also preventing harm by being vigilant and competent in one's practice, such as double-checking medication orders.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Veracity is the principle of truthfulness and honesty, not the avoidance of harm.
Option B: Beneficence is the duty to 'do good' and promote the patient's welfare. While related, it is distinct from non-maleficence, which is the duty to avoid causing harm.
Option D: Justice refers to fairness and the equitable distribution of resources and care, not the avoidance of harm to an individual patient.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Ethical Principles in Nursing as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses apply non-maleficence daily by following safety protocols, such as the 'five rights' of medication administration, to prevent errors and patient harm.
This principle also guides end-of-life care decisions, where the goal is to avoid treatments that may cause more harm or suffering than benefit.
What if? A patient with a terminal illness requests a treatment known to have severe side effects and little chance of success. The nurse, guided by non-maleficence, would participate in an ethics committee discussion to weigh the potential harm of the treatment against the patient's autonomy, ensuring the patient is fully informed of the risks.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'Do no harm'.
This is a recall-based question requiring knowledge of fundamental ethical principles in healthcare.
Recall the definitions of the four main ethical principles provided in the options.
Match the phrase 'Do no harm' to its corresponding principle. Non-maleficence directly translates to this concept.
Differentiate it from Beneficence, which is 'doing good,' to confirm the correct choice.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Ethical Principles in Nursing
Stem keywords: Do no harm, ethical principle
Lead-in keywords: which
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Qp3WN2dxz1FpYWyJvh_Abc

Reference Book

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 1 p. 75-77

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 p. 81-83

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 13068-13070

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