Question

A patient with leukemia tells the nurse, "I don't want my family to know about my condition; please keep it confidential." The nurse promises to keep the information confidential while caring for the patient and keeps her word. Which ethical concept does this nursing action reflect?

a) Fidelity
b) Justice
c) Autonomy
d) Accountability

Answer 1

The nurse's promise to keep a patient's medical condition confidential best represents the ethical concept of fidelity. This concept involves keeping promises and maintaining trust between the patient and healthcare provider. Autonomy is also integral, as it supports the patient's right to make decisions about their own care.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's action of maintaining the patient's confidentiality reflects the ethical concept of fidelity. Fidelity refers to the responsibility to keep one's promises and maintain trust. The nurse respected the patient's wishes and upheld the promise to keep the patient's health condition confidential, thus ensuring trust between the patient and the nurse.

Autonomy is another essential ethical concept involved in healthcare, highlighting the patient's right to make decisions about their own health care. While autonomy supports the patient's decision to keep information private, the nurse's promise to do so is more closely associated with fidelity.

When considering the broader scope of medical ethics, the principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice provide a framework for analyzing and addressing ethical issues that arise in patient care. Each principle represents a cornerstone of ethical decision-making in healthcare settings.