Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

What is the ethical principle of nonmalificence primarily concerned with?

1. Promoting well-being

2. Avoiding harm

3. Ensuring justice

4. Honoring autonomy

The correct answer is: Avoiding harm

The ethical principle of nonmaleficence is fundamentally centered on the obligation to avoid causing harm to patients. In healthcare, this principle emphasizes the importance of actions and decisions that minimize the risk of harm, whether physical, psychological, or emotional. Practitioners must strive to ensure that their interventions do not lead to adverse effects, thus protecting the health and safety of those in their care. This principle is paramount in nursing practice as it directly relates to patient safety and quality of care. For instance, while a nurse may wish to administer a treatment that would promote a patient's well-being, if that treatment carries a significant risk of harm, the principle of nonmaleficence would guide the nurse to refrain from proceeding. In contrast, while promoting well-being, ensuring justice, and honoring autonomy are also important ethical considerations in nursing, they do not primarily focus on the avoidance of harm. Each of these other principles operates within a broader ethical framework but is distinct from the specific commitment that nonmaleficence represents. Thus, when evaluating actions in a clinical setting, the focus on avoiding harm is what places nonmaleficence as a guiding principle of ethical nursing practice.