BocEastern Suffolk Boces Adult Education Center Geriatric exam pn111
BocEastern Suffolk Boces Adult Education Center Geriatric exam pn111 ( 49 Questions)
A nurse is providing care to a 71-year-old client who is in the late stages of cancer and has painful bone metastases. The client is unresponsive but groans and grimaces intermittently. The nurse is drawing up a breakthrough dose of morphine for the client, but a colleague cautions that, "Sure, that will address his pain, but it could depress his respiratory drive and actually kill him at this stage." The colleague's statement prioritizes which ethical principle?
Fidelity:Fidelity refers to the ethical principle of faithfulness, loyalty, and honoring commitments in the nurse-patient relationship. It involves keeping promises, maintaining confidentiality, and advocating for the patient's best interests. While fidelity is important in building trust and rapport with patients, it is not directly relevant to the colleague's caution about the potential harm of administering morphine in this scenario.
Nonmaleficence:Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle that emphasizes the duty to do no harm to the patient. It involves avoiding actions that could cause harm or exacerbate the patient's condition. In this scenario, the colleague's caution about the potential risk of respiratory depression and harm from administering morphine aligns with the principle of nonmaleficence, as it prioritizes the safety and well-being of the client by warning against the potential harms of the intervention.
Justice:
Justice refers to the ethical principle of fairness and equitable distribution of resources and treatment. It involves ensuring that all individuals receive fair and equal treatment and that healthcare resources are allocated fairly. While justice is an important ethical principle in healthcare, it is not directly relevant to the colleague's caution about the potential respiratory depression from administering morphine in this scenario.
Beneficence:Beneficence is the ethical principle that emphasizes the duty to do good and promote the well-being of the patient. It involves taking actions to benefit the patient and enhance their welfare. While administering morphine to relieve the client's pain would align with the principle of beneficence by aiming to alleviate suffering and improve comfort, the colleague's caution highlights the potential harm that could result from the intervention, thus focusing more on the principle of nonmaleficence.
A. Fidelity:
Fidelity refers to the ethical principle of faithfulness, loyalty, and honoring commitments in the nurse-patient relationship. It involves keeping promises, maintaining confidentiality, and advocating for the patient's best interests. While fidelity is important in building trust and rapport with patients, it is not directly relevant to the colleague's caution about the potential harm of administering morphine in this scenario.
B. Nonmaleficence:
Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle that emphasizes the duty to do no harm to the patient. It involves avoiding actions that could cause harm or exacerbate the patient's condition. In this scenario, the colleague's caution about the potential risk of respiratory depression and harm from administering morphine aligns with the principle of nonmaleficence, as it prioritizes the safety and well-being of the client by warning against the potential harms of the intervention.
C. Justice:
Justice refers to the ethical principle of fairness and equitable distribution of resources and treatment. It involves ensuring that all individuals receive fair and equal treatment and that healthcare resources are allocated fairly. While justice is an important ethical principle in healthcare, it is not directly relevant to the colleague's caution about the potential respiratory depression from administering morphine in this scenario.
D. Beneficence:
Beneficence is the ethical principle that emphasizes the duty to do good and promote the well-being of the patient. It involves taking actions to benefit the patient and enhance their welfare. While administering morphine to relieve the client's pain would align with the principle of beneficence by aiming to alleviate suffering and improve comfort, the colleague's caution highlights the potential harm that could result from the intervention, thus focusing more on the principle of nonmaleficence.