Which of the following is NOT a part of the International Council of Nurses' fundamental principles?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Code of Ethics outlines four fundamental responsibilities for nurses.
These responsibilities are: to promote health, to prevent illness, to restore health, and to alleviate suffering.
'To spread awareness' is not listed as one of the four core principles.
While spreading awareness is an important nursing activity, it is considered a strategy or method used to achieve the fundamental responsibility of 'promoting health', not a standalone principle.

Option A: This is incorrect because 'To promote health' is one of the four fundamental responsibilities defined by the ICN.
Option B: This is incorrect as 'To prevent illness' is explicitly stated as one of the four fundamental responsibilities of a nurse by the ICN.
Option D: This is incorrect because 'To restore health' is a core component of the ICN's four fundamental responsibilities for nurses.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain ICN Fundamental Principles of Nursing as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the four fundamental responsibilities provides a clear ethical and professional framework for daily nursing practice, guiding decision-making in all patient interactions.
These principles help nurses prioritize actions, whether it's teaching a patient about their new medication (promoting health), ensuring sterile technique during a procedure (preventing illness), or providing comfort to a terminally ill patient (alleviating suffering).
What if? If a nurse focuses only on restoring health (e.g., treating an acute condition) and neglects health promotion, the patient may be readmitted with a preventable complication. A holistic approach incorporating all four principles leads to better long-term patient outcomes.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question: 'NOT' and 'ICN fundamental principles'. The word 'NOT' is crucial as it means you are looking for the option that does not belong.
Recall or look for the established list of ICN's fundamental principles.
Systematically evaluate each option against this list.
Option A, 'To promote health', is a known principle.
Option B, 'To prevent illness', is also a known principle.
Option D, 'To restore health', is another core principle.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: ICN Fundamental Principles of Nursing
Stem keywords: International Council of Nurses, ICN, fundamental principles
Lead-in keywords: NOT
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the option that is NOT a fundamental principle.

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E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc NursingJogindra Vati — Subpart C (pp 679-1002 of 1017) p. 264-266

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