The emergency department nurse administers a prescribed narcotic for a client with renal colic and then discharges the client without ensuring the client has a designated driver. The client is subsequently involved in a motor vehicle collision on their way home, causing injury to self and others. Which ethical principle did the nurse violate?

Veracity is the principle of truthfulness and honesty. It involves providing accurate information to clients and being truthful in communication. While important in healthcare, veracity does not specifically address the nurse's failure to ensure the client's safety after administering a narcotic. Autonomy refers to respecting the client's right to make their own decisions about their care. While autonomy is a fundamental ethical principle, the scenario involves the nurse's responsibility to ensure safety, which falls under a different principle. Beneficence is the principle of acting in the best interest of the client by promoting good and preventing harm. Although related to the scenario, beneficence focuses more on the proactive aspect of providing care rather than preventing harm resulting from inaction. Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle of 'do no harm.' The nurse violated this principle by discharging the client without ensuring they had a designated driver, leading to a motor vehicle collision and injuries. The nurse's action indirectly caused harm, violating the principle of nonmaleficence.