Final answer:
A nurse does have a moral obligation to care for a combative client with AIDS, as the primary responsibility is to administer necessary patient care, including antibiotics. Safety measures should be taken if needed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether a nurse has a moral obligation to care for a physically combative client with AIDS is one that is rooted in professional ethics and the responsibility of healthcare providers to their patients. The correct answer is: Yes, the nurse's primary obligation is to the client (option c). Healthcare professionals have a duty to provide care for patients, regardless of their own personal views or the patients' behaviors. This includes administering necessary treatments such as antibiotics by intramuscular injection. In cases where there is a risk due to a patient's combative nature, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure the safety of both the patient and the healthcare staff, such as having additional personnel present if necessary, but this does not negate the underlying obligation to provide care.
In confronting ethical dilemmas, healthcare professionals must balance the rights of individual patients with the potential risks to public health, the rights of other patients, and their own safety. Decisions should be guided by ethical standards, hospital policies, and relevant laws. It's important to manage personal beliefs while ensuring patient care and disease prevention remain the priority.