Ethical Principles 1.

Avoiding deliberate harm, risk of harm that

The ethical principles provide a foundation for nursing
practice. Ethical principles are defined as basis for
nurse’s decisions on consideration of consequences and
of universal moral principles when making clinical
judgments. The most fundamental of these principles is
the respect for persons.
occurs during the performance of nursing
actions.
2. Considering the degree of risk permissible.
3. Determining whether the use of technological
advances provides benefits that outweigh risks.
BENEFICENCE

The primary and basic ethical principles are the following: Beneficence is doing or active promotion of good. This is
done by:
 Respect for autonomy
 Nonmaleficence 1. Providing health benefits to the clients.
 Beneficience 2. Balancing the benefits and risks of harm.
 Justice 3. Considering how a client can be best helped.

The secondary ethical principles that can be incorporated JUSTICE

with the primary principles when interpreting ethical
issues and making clinical decisions are the following: Justice is the promotion of equity or fairness in every
situation a nurse encounters. The following nursing
 Veracity implications promote justice:
 Confidentiality
1. Ensuring fair allocation of resources. (example:
 Fidelity
appropriate staffing or mix of staff to all clients)
2. Determining the order in which clients should be
RESPECT FOR PERSONS
treated. (example: priority treatments for the
clients in pain)
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the
most fundamental principle of professional behavior is the
SECONDARY PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT
respect for persons. This principle not only applies to the
clinical settings but to all life’s situations. This principle
Veracity – duty to tell the truth
emphasizes that all people should treat others as a
worthy individual. In nursing practice this principle should
Confidentiality – duty to respect privileged information
be simplified. Thus, respect for persons generally means
respecting a client’s autonomy.
Fidelity – duty to keep promises
RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY

Respecting a client’s rights, values and choices is

synonymous to respecting a person’s autonomy.
Informed consent is a method that promotes and respects
a person’s autonomy. For a client to make an
autonomous decision and action, he or she must be
offered enough information and options to make up his or
her mind free of coercion or external and internal
influences. In clinical settings, this is promoted by proving
informed consent to the client.

NONMALEFICENCE

Nonmaleficence means duty to do no harm. This is

promoted by doing the following nursing interventions: