Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Which approach involves reviewing past decisions to inform new ethical cases?

1. Consequentialism

2. Virtue ethics

3. Casuistry

4. Principlism

The correct answer is: Casuistry

The approach that involves reviewing past decisions to inform new ethical cases is casuistry. Casuistry is a method of ethical reasoning that focuses on the analysis of specific cases and their contexts to arrive at moral conclusions. By examining and comparing similar past cases, casuistry allows healthcare professionals, including nurses, to draw insights and principles that can guide their decision-making in current situations. This case-based reasoning helps ensure that ethical considerations are grounded in real-world experiences and can adapt to the nuances of each individual case. In contrast, the other approaches focus on different aspects of ethics: consequentialism emphasizes the outcomes of actions; virtue ethics centers on the character and virtues of the person acting; and principlism relies on a set of defined ethical principles—beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice—to guide decision-making. While these approaches provide valuable frameworks, casuistry specifically emphasizes the importance of past experiences and their relevance to new ethical dilemmas.