Which of the following ethical principles refers to the duty not to harm?

Appeared in: SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2016

Explanation

Non-maleficence is the ethical principle that obligates healthcare professionals to not inflict harm on others, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
It is often summarized by the Latin phrase primum non nocere, which means 'first, do no harm'.
This principle is foundational to medical and nursing codes of conduct, emphasizing the primary responsibility to protect patients from preventable harm.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Beneficence is the duty to do good and promote the well-being of others. This is a proactive duty, distinct from the duty to avoid causing harm.
Option B: Fidelity refers to the duty to be faithful to one's commitments and promises. It is about loyalty and trustworthiness, not directly about avoiding harm.
Option D: Veracity is the principle of truth-telling. While being dishonest can sometimes lead to harm, the core definition of veracity is about honesty, not the avoidance of harm itself.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Core Ethical Principles in Nursing as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In daily practice, non-maleficence guides nurses to perform critical safety checks, such as verifying medication orders, preventing patient falls, and using aseptic techniques to avoid infections.
This principle underpins the 'Nine Rights' of medication administration, which are designed to prevent medication errors and subsequent harm to the patient.
What if? A nurse is asked to administer a medication that they know has a high risk of a severe side effect for a particular patient. Acting on the principle of non-maleficence, the nurse's duty is to question the order and consult with the prescriber before administration, rather than blindly following the order and potentially causing harm.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'duty not to harm'.
This is a direct recall question that tests your knowledge of the definitions of core ethical principles in nursing.
Systematically review the definitions of each option provided.
Beneficence means 'to do good'. Fidelity means 'to be faithful/keep promises'. Veracity means 'to tell the truth'.
Compare the key phrase 'not to harm' with the definition of each principle.
Select the option, Non-maleficence, which directly translates to 'do no harm'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Core Ethical Principles in Nursing
Stem keywords: ethical principles, duty not to harm
Lead-in keywords: Which of the following
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QgGeP3n5iU9o18JoBCsjB3

Reference Book

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

E6 Nursing Education & Educational TechnologySuresh k Sharma (pp 21-557 of 572) p. 486-488

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