The ethical principle that obligates a nurse to act for the benefit of others and to "do good" is known as:

Appeared in: SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-A)

Explanation

Beneficence is the core ethical principle that requires healthcare professionals to take positive actions to help others and promote their well-being.
The phrase 'do good' is the classic definition of beneficence.
This principle obligates the nurse to act in the best interest of the patient, which goes beyond simply avoiding harm.
Examples include providing comfort, offering timely medication, and advocating for the patient's needs.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Justice refers to fairness and equality in the distribution of care and resources, not the act of doing good for an individual.
Option B: Autonomy is the principle of respecting a patient's right to make their own decisions about their care.
Option C: Non-maleficence is the principle of 'do no harm.' It is about avoiding actions that could cause injury or suffering, which is different from actively doing good.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Ethical Principles in Nursing helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
In daily practice, nurses constantly apply beneficence by performing actions that directly benefit patients, such as repositioning a bedridden patient to prevent pressure ulcers or providing emotional support to an anxious patient.
This principle guides nurses to be patient advocates, ensuring that the care plan is always aligned with the patient's best interests.
What if? If a patient's family requests a treatment that the nurse believes is not beneficial and may cause harm, the nurse faces an ethical conflict between beneficence (acting for the patient's good) and respecting the family's wishes (a form of autonomy). The nurse's primary duty is to the patient, guided by beneficence and non-maleficence.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept in the question stem. The key phrases are 'act for the benefit of others' and 'do good'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of fundamental nursing ethics.
Review the definitions of the four options provided.
Match the key phrases from the stem to the correct definition.
Beneficence directly translates to 'doing good'.
Differentiate it from Non-maleficence, which means 'do no harm'. The question asks for a positive action ('do good'), not the avoidance of a negative one.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Ethical Principles in Nursing
Stem keywords: ethical principle, benefit of others, do good
Lead-in keywords: is known as

Question ID

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Reference Book

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

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

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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