What is the best definition of nonmaleficence?
Doing no harm to clients.
Telling the truth to clients in all matters.
Being faithful to commitments made to clients.
Determining the rights of clients.
The Correct Answer is A
Doing no harm to clients: This is the correct definition of nonmaleficence. It means ensuring that healthcare providers do not cause harm intentionally or unintentionally to their patients.
Telling the truth to clients in all matters: While honesty and truthfulness (veracity) are important ethical principles, this statement does not directly define nonmaleficence. Nonmaleficence specifically emphasizes the prevention of harm, not just truth-telling.
Being faithful to commitments made to clients: Faithfulness and keeping commitments are aspects of fidelity, another ethical principle. It involves keeping promises and being loyal to patients. Although important, this does not capture the essence of nonmaleficence.
Determining the rights of clients: Protecting a patient's rights is crucial, but it is more aligned with the ethical principle of autonomy, where patients have the right to make decisions about their own healthcare. Nonmaleficence is specifically concerned with the prevention of harm.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Morals: Morals are individual beliefs or principles regarding what is right or wrong in behavior. They are personal and can be influenced by cultural, religious, or personal values. Morals guide an individual's actions based on their internal sense of right and wrong.
Values: Values are broader than morals. They refer to a set of beliefs and principles that guide an individual's attitudes and behavior. Values can include moral beliefs but also encompass other aspects such as social, political, or professional values. Values influence how a person interacts with others and society.
Laws: Laws are formal, established rules within a society that are created and enforced by governmental authorities. Laws are binding and applicable to all members of the society. They are designed to regulate behavior, maintain order, and protect the rights and safety of individuals.
Ethics: Ethics refers to a system of moral principles or values that guide the behavior of individuals or groups. In professional contexts, such as nursing, ethics often refers to the principles and standards that govern the conduct of healthcare professionals. Ethical guidelines help professionals make decisions that are morally sound and in the best interest of the patient. Ethics can be influenced by both personal moral beliefs and professional standards.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The document will name a durable power of attorney for health care (DPOAHC), who will make all medical decisions for the client, regardless of the client's mental status: This statement is partially correct. Advanced directives may include naming a healthcare proxy or DPOAHC, but their decisions are typically in line with the client's expressed wishes, especially if those wishes are documented in the advanced directive.
The document means nothing to the nurse because the attending physician will decide the client's care: This statement is incorrect. Advanced directives are legally binding documents that guide medical decisions when the client is unable to communicate or make decisions.
The document is a tool for client self-determination. It allows the client to express their desire for life-sustaining care when they are incapacitated: This statement is true. Advanced directives empower clients to make decisions about their healthcare preferences, including the desire for life-sustaining measures, in the event they become unable to communicate their wishes.
The nurse may assume the client is dying, and he or she will not call a "Rapid Response" or "Code Blue" if the client's status deteriorates: This statement is incorrect. The nurse should always follow appropriate protocols and initiate necessary interventions regardless of the presence of advanced directives, especially if the client's condition deteriorates.
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