What is non-maleficence in nursing?

Appeared in: BTSC Staff Nurse 31 July-2025

Explanation

Non-maleficence is a core ethical principle in healthcare, defined as the duty to avoid causing harm to patients.
This principle obligates nurses to prevent intentional harm, the risk of harm, and unintentional harm through their actions or inactions.
It involves balancing the potential benefits of a treatment against its risks, always striving to do the least harm possible.
Practical applications include preventing medication errors, protecting patients from falls, and ensuring procedures are performed safely.

Option B: Maximising hospital profits is a business or administrative goal, not a patient-centered ethical principle. Ethical duties prioritize patient welfare over financial objectives.
Option C: A nurse's primary duty is to the patient. The principle of non-maleficence requires a nurse to question and clarify any order from a doctor that they believe could cause harm.
Option D: Ignoring patient preferences directly violates the ethical principle of autonomy, which is the patient's right to make their own decisions about their healthcare.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Ethical principles in nursing: Non-maleficence helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Non-maleficence is the foundation of patient safety. Nurses apply this principle daily by adhering to safety protocols, such as fall prevention strategies, infection control measures, and safe medication administration.
This principle also guides end-of-life care decisions, where the goal is to avoid treatments that may cause more harm and suffering than benefit.
What if a doctor prescribes a medication to which the patient has a known allergy? The principle of non-maleficence compels the nurse to withhold the medication and immediately contact the prescriber to prevent a harmful allergic reaction.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question, which is 'non-maleficence'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of fundamental nursing ethics.
Recall the definition of non-maleficence. The prefix 'non-' means 'not', and 'maleficence' relates to harm. Therefore, it means 'not doing harm'.
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Select the option that directly matches the definition 'Doing no harm to patients'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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

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

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 55-57

Practise the full BTSC Staff Nurse 31 July-2025

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