References:
- Nursing Review Guide, 1st Edition, ISBN 978-621-02-2289-0, by Glenn Reyes Luansing
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- Autonomy: respecting the personal liberty or freedom of an individual to choose and implement one’s own decision. Patients are free to select appropriate treatment without external pressures. While nurses must correct faulty health beliefs and practices and reinforce healthy teachings, they must continue to respect culture, religion, or belief.
- The only exception to a withdrawal of autonomy is during cases of emergency, where obtaining consent would place the life in probable danger, and when there is an implied waiver or consent—subjecting oneself to treatment without express consent, but with no objection or refusal.
- Beneficence: “do good”. The acts to promote positive changes or experiences for the patient.
- Non-maleficence: “do no harm”. The acts to prevent negative changes or experiences for the patient.
- Justice: the distribution of resources between parties based on necessity (equity) and not of external characteristics of race, age, etc. that are not related to care. This principle is used especially in periods of scarcity.
- Double Effect: the principle that actions may be morally good or at least neutral, yet produce bad effects. In such a case, the minimization of the bad effect is done, but is otherwise allowed to allow for the good effects to take place.
- This principle is displayed in a therapeutic abortion: the “good” of saving the mother from death offsets the “bad” of performing an abortion.
- Veracity: “truth telling”. It is the obligation of the nurse to provide full disclosure of all information related to the care of the patient. This is backed by the Patient’s Bill of Rights (Right to Information). This principle extends to prohibition of the provision of fraudulent information and false hope/reassurances.
- Fidelity: “keeping promises”, in conjunction with veracity, is the completion of all obligations inherent and promised in the care of a patient. It is the loyalty to the care of the patient and the profession.
- Inviolability of Life: the life of every person is respected. Nurses must avoid all acts that will curtail, end, or endanger one’s life.
- Totality: the value of the “whole” is prioritized over its individual parts, such as when an amputation is performed— the totality of the individual is preserved with the sacrifice of one of its parts.
- Stewardship: the principle of taking care of those placed in one’s care.
- Confidentiality: privacy and anonymity of the patient, information provided by the patient, and all relevant records is upheld.
- Paternalism: the interjection of another person as the decision-maker in place of another when they are unable to decide for themselves. This may become a negative principle in cases where patient autonomy is interrupted, but is good for patients who are unfit for providing healthcare decisions.
- If necessary, proxy consent may be given (in order of priority) by (a) the parents of the patient, then (b) their next of kin (closest relative in genealogy). In cases of emergent necessity, the physician will sign the consent in the best interest for the life of the patient.