Non-maleficence is associated with?

Appeared in: UPRVUNL - 2021

Explanation

Non-maleficence is a fundamental ethical principle in healthcare, meaning 'to do no harm.'.
This principle obligates nurses and other healthcare professionals to protect patients from danger and to avoid causing injury, whether it is intentional or unintentional.
It involves balancing the risks and benefits of any intervention to ensure the least possible harm is done.
The correct option, 'Doing no intentional harm,' directly and accurately defines this principle.

Option A: This option describes the principle of Autonomy, which is the patient's right to make their own decisions about their care.
Option B: Considering risks and costs is part of the ethical decision-making process, often related to beneficence and justice, but it is not the definition of non-maleficence itself.
Option D: This relates to professional responsibility and advocacy, which are part of a nurse's broader role but do not define the core ethical principle of non-maleficence toward a patient.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Ethical Principles in Nursing: Non-maleficence as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Applying non-maleficence is a daily nursing responsibility. For example, adhering to the 'Five Rights' of medication administration (right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time) is a direct application of this principle to prevent medication errors.
Nurses practice non-maleficence by implementing fall precautions for at-risk patients, using sterile techniques to prevent infections, and ensuring medical equipment is functioning correctly before use.
What if? If a doctor orders a medication to which the patient has a known allergy, the principle of non-maleficence requires the nurse to question the order and not administer the drug, thereby preventing harm.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword in the question stem, which is 'Non-maleficence.'
Recall the definitions of the core principles of nursing ethics: Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficence, and Justice.
The prefix 'mal-' often relates to bad or harmful actions (e.g., malice, malignant). 'Non-' means not. Therefore, 'non-maleficence' literally translates to 'not doing harm.'
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Option A, 'Self-governance,' is the definition of Autonomy.
Option C, 'Doing no intentional harm,' directly matches the definition of non-maleficence.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 55-57

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

Practise the full UPRVUNL - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.