The nurse is very sincere and truthful towards his duty while caring for the patient. This is called which kind of ethical consideration?

Appeared in: NHM MP Staff Nurse-2022

Explanation

The question describes a nurse who is 'sincere and truthful,' which are the defining characteristics of the ethical principle of veracity.
Veracity is the duty to tell the truth and not deceive others.
This principle is crucial for establishing and maintaining trust between the nurse and the patient.
Being truthful allows the patient to be an active participant in their care and make informed decisions.

Option A: Beneficence is the principle of 'doing good' or acting in the patient's best interest. While being truthful is generally good, the core of this principle is about taking positive actions to help, not just about honesty.
Option B: Nonmaleficence is the principle of 'do no harm.' It focuses on avoiding actions that could cause injury or suffering. It is about preventing negative outcomes, not specifically about being truthful.
Option C: Justice refers to fairness and the equitable distribution of resources and care. It is about treating all patients fairly, regardless of their background, and is not directly related to truthfulness in communication.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Ethical Principles in Nursing to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Veracity is the foundation of informed consent. Patients cannot give true consent for a procedure or treatment without being given full and honest information.
A breach in veracity, such as lying to a patient or providing false reassurance, can destroy the nurse-patient relationship and lead to a loss of trust in the entire healthcare system.
What if? - If a patient with a terminal diagnosis asks if they are dying, the principle of veracity requires the nurse to respond truthfully but with compassion, often in collaboration with the physician and family, rather than giving a false, cheerful response.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key descriptive words in the question stem, which are 'sincere' and 'truthful'.
Recognize that this is a recall-based question asking for the definition of an ethical term.
Mentally define each of the four options provided.
Beneficence means 'to do good'.
Nonmaleficence means 'to do no harm'.
Justice means 'fairness'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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

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

Practise the full NHM MP Staff Nurse-2022

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