Analyze the following nursing interventions and clinical scenarios. Match each specific nursing action on the left with the core ethical principle it primarily demonstrates or violates on the right.
- Documenting that a client tolerated a procedure well while deliberately omitting their expressions of extreme distress to avoid an incident report.Veracity
- Advocating for an uninsured, unhoused client to receive the exact same priority for physical therapy resources as a privately insured client.Justice
- Supporting a competent adult client's decision to legally refuse life-saving mechanical ventilation despite the family's aggressive demands to treat.Autonomy
- Questioning and withholding a provider's prescription for a standard dose of digoxin for a client presenting with critical hypokalemia.Nonmaleficence
- Staying at the bedside of an anxious client during a painful procedure exactly as promised, while delegating other routine tasks to assistive personnel.Fidelity
Answer
The correct pairings are: omitting distress in documentation matches Veracity; advocating for equal resources matches Justice; supporting treatment refusal matches Autonomy; withholding digoxin during hypokalemia matches Nonmaleficence; and keeping a bedside promise matches Fidelity.
Each nursing action directly corresponds to a fundamental ethical principle. Veracity requires truthfulness in documentation. Justice demands fair allocation of care regardless of status. Autonomy respects the client's right to choose or refuse treatment. Nonmaleficence requires nurses to protect clients from harm, such as withholding dangerous medication. Fidelity requires keeping promises and honoring commitments to clients.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Core Ethical Principles in Nursing Practice