Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 73%
Simulated
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit has accepted a transfer to the Intensive care unit (ICU). Prior to transfer to the ICU, the nurse completes an online critical care and emergency nursing course. The nurse is demonstrating which of the following ethical principles?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: Nonmaleficence. Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle of doing no harm to patients. By completing a critical care course before transferring to the ICU, the nurse is ensuring that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide safe and competent care to critically ill patients, thereby upholding the principle of nonmaleficence. Veracity refers to truthfulness, autonomy to patient's right to make decisions, and fidelity to keeping promises, which are not directly related to the nurse's situation in this scenario.