Overview
This lecture covers the seven ethical principles essential for nursing practice and the NCLEX exam, providing definitions, memory tricks, examples, and a practice question review.
The Seven Ethical Principles
Autonomy
- Autonomy is respecting a patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions.
- Patients can refuse treatments or procedures if they are medically stable.
Beneficence
- Beneficence means always doing good and acting with compassion for the patient.
- Nurses act in the best interest of their patients (e.g., comforting a patient on hospice).
Fidelity
- Fidelity involves being loyal and faithful in nursing actions and keeping promises to patients.
- Examples include following through on commitments, like returning to help a patient as promised.
Accountability
- Accountability is taking responsibility for all nursing actions, including errors.
- Nurses must admit and address any mistakes, such as medication errors.
Justice
- Justice requires giving equal care to all patients regardless of background or status.
- Nurses must avoid discrimination and provide fair treatment to everyone.
Non-maleficence
- Non-maleficence is the duty to do no harm (intentional or unintentional) to patients.
- Nurses should avoid actions that could cause harm, such as administering known allergens.
Veracity
- Veracity means being honest with patients at all times.
- Nurses should inform patients truthfully about medications, side effects, and diagnoses.
Practice Question Review
- Veracity is telling the truth, not justice.
- Autonomy requires respecting patient choices, not mandating directives.
- Fidelity is keeping promises, such as staying with a patient during death.
- Beneficence is doing good, not withholding information at the family's request (that violates autonomy).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Autonomy — the right of patients to make their own healthcare decisions.
- Beneficence — the principle of doing good and acting in the patient's best interest.
- Fidelity — faithfulness and loyalty in nursing care and promises.
- Accountability — responsibility for one's actions and errors in nursing practice.
- Justice — fairness and equality in patient care delivery.
- Non-maleficence — the obligation to do no harm to patients.
- Veracity — truthfulness and honesty with patients at all times.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize the seven ethical principles.
- Practice applying ethical principles to NCLEX-style questions.
- Prepare personal examples of each principle for possible test or clinical scenarios.