Which ethical principle is primarily concerned with avoiding harm to patients?

Enhance your knowledge on Patient Care with our Legal and Ethical Issues Test. Utilize flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and detailed explanations to master these crucial concepts. Prepare for a successful healthcare career!

Multiple Choice

Which ethical principle is primarily concerned with avoiding harm to patients?

Explanation:
Avoiding harm to patients is the principle of non-maleficence. It guides clinicians to refrain from actions that could cause injury or suffering, and to minimize risks or withdraw interventions when they do more harm than good. This focus on preventing harm is why it’s the best fit for the question. Autonomy is about respecting patients’ rights to make their own choices; beneficence is about actively doing good for the patient; justice concerns fair treatment and how benefits and burdens are distributed. So when the emphasis is on not causing harm, non-maleficence stands out as the primary principle.

Avoiding harm to patients is the principle of non-maleficence. It guides clinicians to refrain from actions that could cause injury or suffering, and to minimize risks or withdraw interventions when they do more harm than good. This focus on preventing harm is why it’s the best fit for the question. Autonomy is about respecting patients’ rights to make their own choices; beneficence is about actively doing good for the patient; justice concerns fair treatment and how benefits and burdens are distributed. So when the emphasis is on not causing harm, non-maleficence stands out as the primary principle.

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