Final answer:
The nurse's belief pertains to treating patients as individuals and reflects the ethical principle of (4) respect for persons, which ensures the individuality and dignity of each patient in healthcare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse's belief that all patients should be treated as individuals reflects the ethical principle of respect for persons. This principle suggests that each individual should be treated with dignity and allowed to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare.
While the principles of autonomy emphasize the patient's right to make their own decisions, the principle of beneficence focuses on actions that benefit the patient, and the principle of nonmaleficence aims to avoid causing harm, respect for persons underlies all of these and ensures that the individual patient is always at the center of healthcare decision-making, reflecting their unique values, preferences, and rights.