Final answer:
The primary responsibility of a healthcare professional is to be diligent in efforts to not harm patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary responsibility of a healthcare professional is indeed to be diligent in their efforts to not harm their patients. This is a fundamental principle known as nonmaleficence.
Nonmaleficence means acting in ways that do not cause harm to others, and in clinical settings, it requires that patients are not unnecessarily harmed. Healthcare professionals must consider potential harms and only subject patients to those that are necessary for effective treatment.
For example, physicians practice nonmaleficence by carefully weighing the risks and benefits of procedures, treatments, or tests before recommending or providing them to patients.